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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23915029">Forgiveness and the Future</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayer_of_Destiny/pseuds/Slayer_of_Destiny'>Slayer_of_Destiny</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Romance, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>23,495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23915029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayer_of_Destiny/pseuds/Slayer_of_Destiny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky goes back to New York as soon as his head is sorted out to allow Tony to do with him as he sees fit. He doesn't expect forgiveness and the chance of a future. A future that may also include a certain genius and his Spider Kid. Slash</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>LisasGoodEnoughToRereadlist, Stark in love, Winteriron all the time</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky performed his checks carefully making sure that everything was in order, making sure that the plane/jet/thing...whatever Wakandan advanced flying object this was, was set to return to Wakanda once he had landed in the way Shuri had shown him how to do and then set about getting ready to leave.</p><p>Of course, it couldn't be as simple as that, and as he was getting ready to close the ramp, Steve and his merry band came jogging out and over to him.</p><p>"Bucky what are you doing!? Where are you going?" Steve shouted.</p><p>"I'm leaving Punk, I'm heading to New York," Bucky grunted standing so he was blocking access to the ramp. He noted that the Dora were shuffling around the outside of the building, their eyes intent upon them, and he knew that should this issue get...forced, they would help him.</p><p>None of them really liked the outsiders that had set up shop in Wakanda, taking advantage of T'Challa's kindness, Bucky was the one that they liked the best as he made his appreciation clear, he got on with the Princess, and it had been obvious that he was not going to be sticking around once he was better. At least it had been obvious to them.</p><p>"New York? What...why?" Steve frowned as he and his group reached Bucky.</p><p>"I'm going back to throw myself at the mercy of Tony Stark and let him do what he deems is right with me, I'm better now, I'm not going to trigger and do any harm accidentally," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"His mercy? He has no mercy!" Clint spat making Bucky turn to raise his eyebrow at the angry little man.</p><p>"Funny, he seems to have a lot of mercy considering he put your family into protective custody to guard them against repercussions from Ross or the public for your actions in this, his mercy means that your kids and wife are still alive for you to convince to forgive you,"</p><p>"It's Stark's fault…"</p><p>"I am going to stop you right there before I finally lose my temper with hearing that yet again and break your jaw. Stop blaming others for your actions, and stop making Tony Stark your scapegoat. You chose to leave your family even though you were retired and get involved in something that had nothing to do with you. You know what I would have given if I had a pretty partner and kids to go home to and retire with after the war?"</p><p>"I was there to help you!" Clint snarled.</p><p>"No, you were there because Steve called and you jumped without looking into it. My guess was you heard that you were going against Stark and you jumped at the chance, not caring why really, this hatred that you have of him goes way back beyond this. My guess, you're jealous of him," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"Bucky...we were trying to help…" Steve stared.</p><p>"Yeah you were, and as normal, your idea of help is going in fists swinging. It ain't 1940 anymore Steve, and this situation required diplomacy. You were trying to help, and our friendship means a lot to me, but Steve you need to take a good long hard look at your actions and reactions, because you have changed into someone that I am not sure I recognise, and you need to start thinking and not just reacting, the world isn't that simple anymore, and it will swallow you up,"</p><p>"I haven't changed!" Steve, shockingly, got angry.</p><p>"You left Stark lying bleeding and hurt in that bunker, you think the Comandos or Peggy would be proud of you for an action like that?" Bucky shook his head, his heart hurting a little at the expression on Steve's face, but he needed some cold hard truths.</p><p>"Don't bring them into it!"</p><p>"Stark was Peggy's godson! What do you think she would say?!" Bucky snapped.</p><p>"What...no she wasn't," Steve looked so thrown it took the wind out Bucky's sails.</p><p>"Yes, she was,"</p><p>"He never spoke about her, he wasn't at the funeral!"</p><p>"He never spoke about her because he thought you knew and he didn't want to bring up a sensitive subject with you. He wasn't at the funeral, because he had to choose between being there and going to the Accords. He said that she would rather he honour her memory by trying to fix the worlds rather than crying over her," Natasha said softly.</p><p>"Steve, it is all over the internet," Bucky sighed. "It took me three quick googles to find it,"</p><p>"No!"</p><p>"Look for yourself Steve," Bucky shook his head. "I've got somewhere to be. Look, take care of yourself, and be careful,"</p><p>"I won't let you leave!" Steve said firmly.</p><p>"What like a handler?!" Bucky said angrily. "This is my choice, Steve, like it was my choice not to have the Witch rooting around in my brains, this is what I mean about not knowing who you are, you ignored me saying no and tried to have her do it anyway! I have a choice Steve, and I am making it. This was the endgame all along. I agreed to the treatments and the work and the therapy so I could go back as someone safe for Stark to choose what he wants to do with me,"</p><p>"He attacked you in the bunker, why do you feel so guilty?" Sam frowned, and Bucky just stared at him for a few beats before he pressed his face into his hand.</p><p>"Steve, did you learn anything!"</p><p>"It has nothing to do with them!" Steve stared at him definitely.</p><p>"Nothing to...Steve they are fugitives because they followed your lead, they chose to follow you, and you're keeping things from them? Same as you did Stark," Bucky shook his head disappointedly.</p><p>"What are you keeping from us?" Natasha frowned.</p><p>"Don't!"</p><p>"Don't tell me what to do Steve Rogers. I killed Stark's parents," Bucky told the group and watched as they flinched back, staring at him shocked. "HYDRA ordered it, they didn't die by accident, HYDRA sent their weapon to take them out. Steve knew, has known for a while from what I could gather. When we were in that Bunker Stark came to help, he was there as a friend, Zemo showed him the video of me...of me killing Howard and Maria Stark. He attacked because he watched me kill his parents and I was right there in front of him. He was also furious because Steve had kept it from him. We left him in bad shape. He wasn't sulking as you have indicated. I would guess he was recovering,"</p><p>"You left him wounded?" Sam looked at Steve as though he hadn't seen him before.</p><p>"You...you kept that from him? Fuck Steve, his parents!" Clint shook his head.</p><p>"You had the nerve to stand there and berate him how many times for keeping secrets about Ultron, which he kept for a couple of hours at a party...when you knew you were keeping that from him?" Natasha shook her head.</p><p>"Once set of parents for another, karma is a bitch," Wanda said smugly.</p><p>"Oh shut your face you twisted, psychotic, angry little shrew," Bucky snapped, all of them staring at him open-mouthed. "He didn't kill your parents!"</p><p>"Barnes, it was his bomb," Clint shook his head.</p><p>"And? Stark Industries created millions of bombs, do you think that he made every single one with his own hands? And unlike you lot who seem unable to do any research I looked into it. America wasn't at war with Sokovia at that time, Stark Industries only sold bombs and weaponry to the American Government officially, unofficially Obadia Stane was selling weapons under the desk to people, the same man that had Tony Stark shot with his own bomb, kidnapped, and then ripped the Arc reactor out his chest to power the Iron Man suit that he had had built. Tony Stark defeated him. So if you want to get technical about it, a terrorist group bombed your parents, the bomb was sold under the table by Stane to them, and Tony killed him. If anything Tony Stark avenged your parents. He didn't kill them,"</p><p>"He...he did! It was his company!" Wanda shrieked.</p><p>"Actually he had only taken his place within the company six months before, he wouldn't have finished even signing the paperwork for that and getting to know the company, so there is no way that he would have been able to perform the checks. And the only thing that he is guilty of is trusting someone that he thought loved and cared for him, someone who had been in his life and was assigned as his guardian by his parents. He had his heart, literally, ripped out for that trust. I think if you are looking for payment, that is payment enough," Bucky glared at her.</p><p>"And he has spent every minute from the moment he found out about his weapons being sold trying to make it right, even though he had no clue," Natasha said absently.</p><p>"I…" Clint took a step back and then walked away from them, and Bucky would guess where his hatred for Tony had started, and he had found out that that hatred had been completely misled.</p><p>"You...you should go, Tony...he won't kill you," Natasha said to him, visibly trying to pull herself together.</p><p>"You could come with me," Bucky offered.</p><p>"I have some wrongs to make right," Natasha shook her head sadly.</p><p>"Bucky, don't…"</p><p>"Tony Stark deserves the right to decide what he wants to do with me, I will see you around Punk. Sort your head out," Bucky clapped him on the shoulder before turning and walking up the ramp, as the ramp shut he saw Natasha and Sam holding onto Steve stopping him from chasing Bucky.</p><p>And then he took off.</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Boss," FRIDAY very rarely called his phone unless there was an absolute emergency. And he could only think, what now?</p><p>"What is going on sweetheart?" Tony asked.</p><p>"I have an...unusual situation here at the Tower," She said slowly.</p><p>"Ok...what is going on?" Tony asked even as he sped up his car, wincing at the thought of the additional speeding tickets he was about to get.</p><p>"James Buchanan Barnes broke into the Tower approximately 10 minutes ago, I only became aware of him 3 minutes ago when he reached the Hulk room," FRIDAY said still sounding baffled.</p><p>"Why was he outside the Hulk room?" Tony said more to himself than FRIDAY.</p><p>"He requested that I lock him in it using Hulk protocol, after he removed his prosthetic arm, weapons, all of his clothing bar his underwear and stepped inside it," FRIDAY answered anyway.</p><p>"Right…"</p><p>"He has just asked me to inform you that he is here for you to deal with him as you wish, and he wants to make sure that you know he has no weapons for him to attack you with and that he is now in control of himself so he won't attack you accidentally," FRIDAY relayed faithfully.</p><p>"Bloody Super Soldiers. Tell him I'm five minutes away and to get his butt out the Hulk room," Tony huffed.</p><p>"He is refusing to leave Boss, and seems quite put out that I told him I have unlocked the door," FRIDAY was sounding completely bemused now.</p><p>"Just...keep him company till I get there," Tony rolled his eyes, speeding up a little more.</p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"...Miss FRIDAY, I have been working on yoga, it is quite relaxing," Bucky Barnes was saying to his AI as he reached the Hulk room.</p><p>"Doctor Banner appears to have thought so too,"</p><p>"Do you mind telling me why you are mostly naked, and minus your arm sitting in the middle of the Hulk room?" Tony sighed, stepping over Bucky's clothes and arm and stepping into the room.</p><p>And there he was, Bucky Barnes, sitting in the middle of the massive Hulk room, crossed legged and wearing only a tight pair of black briefs, one-armed, man bun, looking a hell of a lot better than he had the last time Tony had seen him.</p><p>"I am here for you to get justice however you see fit," Bucky said lightly, not moving a muscle.</p><p>"Were you all this dramatic in the 40's really? Put some bloody clothes on and come to the living room like a civilised human being," Tony threw his arms up and stomped out the room, leaving Bucky staring after him.</p><p>Bucky followed FRIDAY's directions and found himself stepping into the living room where Tony was sitting on the sofa waiting for him.</p><p>"You can put your arm on," Tony sighed seeing Bucky carrying it.</p><p>"I like leaving it off sometimes," Bucky admitted setting it near him on the sofa as he sat cautiously as far away from Tony as he could.</p><p>"Suit yourself, coffee, tea?" Tony asked motioning to the coffee machine in front of him on the coffee table.</p><p>"What is going on?" Bucky asked, beyond confused now. He had been expecting Tony to call the UN and have him locked away in the deepest darkest hole.</p><p>"I'm showing you that you're a drama queen," Tony said dryly, throwing some paperwork he had sitting on his lap at Bucky.</p><p>"This...this is...what?"</p><p>"It is paperwork making you an official citizen of the United States again considering that you were reported dead, it is also documentation listing you as a Prisoner of War, one of the longest I think, and putting your actions up to and including Leipzig Airport as a result of being a Prisoner of War and pardoning you. You have backdated wages and pension that I have set up in a bank account with decent interest for you, the card is in there as well along with your new passport and social security information,"</p><p>"So, I am just being charged for Siberia then," Bucky nodded in understanding.</p><p>"Aunt Peggy said you were the ones with the brains out of you and Rogers," Tony said dryly.</p><p>"That isn't really saying much," Bucky said, thinking about Steve back in Wakanda, but was startled when Tony snorted out a laugh.</p><p>"True. You're being charged with nothing. A clean slate," Tony shook his head.</p><p>"But...why?" Bucky frowned.</p><p>"Sorry to disappoint you Tasty Freeze, but I don't want revenge or justice on someone who is the innocent party, probably the only innocent party in that whole fight. I have been through a hell of a lot of therapy and sorting through my thoughts, feelings and all that icky stuff, as well as doing research into the Winter Soldier program, I am sorry for the intrusion, and I realised that I was taking out my anger at what happened to my parents, and my betrayal at Steve lying to me on the wrong person,"</p><p>"But, I killed them," Bucky frowned deeper.</p><p>"No, you didn't. HYDRA did, you were most definitely not in the driver's seat. And before you say about fighting harder or stopping them, I have seen the research, you were fighting, you were fighting hard, the amount of times they...forcefully wiped you shows that. They thought that they would be able to stop using the...the chair on you after a couple of years, 70 years later they still were. Someone who fights that hard isn't to blame," Tony shook his head.</p><p>They sat staring at each other for a few moments, both of them trying to readjust their thoughts as they took in the changes in the situation.</p><p>"Siberia, I went into fight mode because it was programmed into me, Princess Shuri helped me get that under control. I have a choice now when I use my violence, I don't just react," Bucky explained, for lack of anything else to say.</p><p>"The triggers?" Tony asked.</p><p>"Gone. She used some Wakandan technology I won't even pretend I can start explaining. Something about disrupting the brain waves that react to the triggers," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"If it helps, I forgive you for being stuck in a situation that you had no control over," Tony said softly. "And I am sorry about what happened to you,"</p><p>"I'm sorry, for what happened to you, for what you lost because of my hands and body, and what happened with the Avengers, Steve is a moron," Bucky rolled his eyes when Tony looked at him wide-eyed. "If Peg told you I was the intelligent one, then she told you I was the one that called a spade a spade and told Steve when he was being an idiot, didn't buy into that Captain America shit,"</p><p>"Yeah she did," Tony chuckled.</p><p>"I'm sorry for your loss," Bucky said before starting at the expression on Tony's face. "What?"</p><p>"You're the first person aside from my three friends to say that. Thank you," Tony smiled sadly.</p><p>"Was she as amazing as she was when she was younger?" Bucky asked, he wasn't sure where they stood or what the hell was going on, what the atmosphere around them was.</p><p>"Even better. When she first went into the nursing home, she caught one of the carers hitting one of the residents there. She had the guy pinned in seconds and had a revolt going in minutes, the staff there have to be the most up and up in the country," Tony laughed.</p><p>"She was an amazing woman," Bucky smiled.</p><p>"She was," Tony nodded. "I...I have supper coming, would you like something to eat?" Tony asked.</p><p>"I...sure," Bucky had no clue, but if it was what Tony wanted.</p><p>"I'm just going to go change, I hate suits when I am at home. FRIDAY will keep you company," Tony said before leaving the floor, wondering why the hell he had asked the man to stay.</p><p>He just didn't know what to do with him, he had clearly come here expecting for Tony to...god he didn't even know, kill him? Lock him up? Beat him up and lock him up? And he was sitting there with his sad blue eyes and unsure.</p><p>And maybe Pepper and Rhodey were right, maybe he had a thing for collecting wounded and broken things.</p><p>When he walked back onto the floor he realised that the food must have been delivered while he was gone, because the small dining table that he had near the windows had two plates of steaming food sitting on it and his sitting had a glass of coke as well, Bucky was sitting awkwardly at the other sitting.</p><p>"Miss FRIDAY told me to set the food out!" Bucky said quickly, standing when he saw Tony.</p><p>"Have you been bossing people around again FRIDAY?" Tony asked, slightly amused making his way over.</p><p>"He was sitting staring at the bag like it was about to explode, I thought that it would help for him to do something," FRIDAY explained.</p><p>"I hope it is ok?" Bucky shuffled nervously.</p><p>"It is fine," Tony snorted taking his seat, Bucky scrambling to sit only once he had. Tony rolled his eyes once again and grabbed the empty glass from in front of Bucky's setting and poured half his drink into it, before starting to eat.</p><p>"I don't really know what to say to you, I thought I would be going to prison," Bucky said halfway through the meal where Tony had been holding the silence only to see what the other would say.</p><p>"Honestly? I have had this conversation a million times, and I never really got passed the whole, I forgive you, hope you forgive me for trying to beat you stupid in that bunker, I figured Steve would be filling a lot of the silence, to be honest,"</p><p>"I left him back in Wakanda," Bucky said quickly, realising the question there in Tony's voice, and noting the slip of the use of the familiar.</p><p>"Why? I figured he would be clinging to you like a limpet," Tony asked.</p><p>"He was until he tried to have the Witch poke around in my head," Bucky sighed.</p><p>"What?" Bucky's eyes noted the way Tony's frame tensed and his hands gripped hold of the knife and fork in his hands.</p><p>"Yeah, he said that she would be able to get in and undo the trigger words quicker than Princess Shuri. I said no and he told me that it would help and I wouldn't be so worried about the trigger words anymore, he gave her permission to go ahead even though I said no about 20 times," Bucky noted Tony's dropped jaw.</p><p>"What happened...did she…"</p><p>"No, I punched her, then punched Steve. Then told Princess Shuri what had happened and she flayed him alive. Told him that he was doing exactly what HYDRA had done to me by trying to take away my permission and fiddling around with my head against my consent," Bucky nodded.</p><p>"Wow, brutal!" Tony said, impressed.</p><p>"She was quite impressive," Bucky nodded.</p><p>"Wanda did she…"</p><p>"She didn't get anywhere near my head, and I wanted her nowhere near me. She volunteered for HYDRA that doesn't speak of good mental health," Bucky rolled his eyes.</p><p>"That's partly my fault," Tony sighed turning to look out the window.</p><p>"I thought you were meant to be smart!" Bucky blurted out, meeting Tony's eyes when he turned to look at him wide-eyed. "Come on, did no one look up her accusations!"</p><p>"You did?" Tony asked quietly.</p><p>"I got fed up of her blaming everything on you because you killed her parents, which one even if you had wouldn't be an excuse for her behaviour!"</p><p>"Are you saying I didn't?" Tony asked, with so much hope in his voice Bucky shook his head with a soft sigh.</p><p>"You had become part of the company six months before, Sokovia and America weren't at war with each other or fighting which means…"</p><p>"Stane," Tony said with understanding in his eyes.</p><p>"Yes, as I said to her if anything she owes you, you avenged her parents, you didn't kill them," Bucky said, watching Tony's amazing brain spin as he took in the information and adjusted how he had been seeing things.</p><p>"It is still my fault, if I…"</p><p>"If I am not at fault for something I wasn't in control of, then neither are you," Bucky interrupted softly, not wanting to push their odd truce that they had formed, but not able to allow the man to blame himself.</p><p>"I should have known what he was doing," Tony sighed.</p><p>"You trusted him and cared for him, that he betrayed that is on him and not you. Trusting and caring is something that I wish I still had in me," Bucky smiled.</p><p>"I think you still do. You have too much life in you to want to die, you trusted that I wouldn't kill you," Tony challenged.</p><p>"Too much life?" Bucky tilted his head, he hadn't thought about it that way before.</p><p>"You escape HYDRA and its control, and you made a life for yourself, a normal life enjoying normal things, working, eating, sleeping, exploring from what my information has told me. I can see it in the way you speak to FRIDAY, the way you look out the window, you want to explore and see it,"</p><p>"I guess you're right, I would have let you do whatever, but I knew you were a good guy, I figured prison was what I had to look forward to though. But...I want to see what is out there now, how things have changed and what is happening," Bucky smiled staring out the window at the skyline that was so different to the one he had seen as a boy.</p><p>"If you want to explore, there are rooms available in the Tower, to use as a base," Tony determinedly didn't meet Bucky's eyes as he spoke, leaving the Super Soldier to stare at him open-mouthed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Present</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Two</p><p>"I have been getting frequent calls from Wakanda," Tony said over supper one night making Bucky blink and look up from devouring his meal. Tony didn't cook often but when he did, Bucky didn't tend to say much during the meal.</p><p>"Have you answered any?" Bucky asked. Nearly a month into staying and he was coming to be able to predict the mischievous quality of Tony's personality, though he had no clue what would be coming, he knew something was coming.</p><p>"Nope," Tony popped the P. "The Princess and King have direct lines so I know it isn't them. I have been leaving different messages as the answering message,"</p><p>"And what was the last one that you left? You are clearly pleased with it," Bucky snorted.</p><p>"I said that I was on my way to visit a prison and would be back in about five hours after climbing back out the depths of it," Tony grinned.</p><p>"Please tell me you deleted it straight away, that is the last thing that the press needs to get hold of, Miss Pepper will have a heart attack," Bucky snickered.</p><p>"Good point Red October!" Tony clicked at him digging his phone out. "I thought May sounded a little odd when I called her back,"</p><p>"You're unbelievable," Bucky shook his head.</p><p>"I know right," Tony beamed at him.</p><p>Bucky shoved another massive forkful of carbonara into his mouth as he took in the man opposite him. He had thought that he had been healed when he set off from Wakanda to lay himself at Tony's feet - and he had not heard the end of the fact he had stripped down to his underwear - but he had realised that hadn't been true.</p><p>He had a lot of red in his ledger as Romanoff phrased it, even if it had not been under his control. He couldn't apologise to any of the other people that he had hurt, he wouldn't even know where to start. But Tony accepting him, allowing him to live with him and treating him like a friend had healed the wounds he did not know he still had. They were scarred over now, still sore and sensitive, but healed. The other man had given him more than he would ever realise.</p><p>And he hoped that he was giving Tony something back. Tony seemed to be smiling more and joking more, he wasn't burying himself in work the way that he had when Bucky had first arrived and started staying in the Tower, he took breaks and enjoyed himself as well. Even if sometimes Bucky had to pretend to need his help catching up on pop culture and dragged him into a TV marathon.</p><p>He had been thinking it, but when Pepper Potts called him and gave him the shovel talk, before adding that whatever he was doing, please keep doing it, confirmed that for him.</p><p>Life in the Tower was settling into a routine and a beat between them, Bucky was catching up with the world, reading and watching TV, Tony had gotten him set up to take his GEDs and get qualifications. Tony invented and created amazing things that he seemed baffled as to why Bucky could listen to him speaking about for hours. Bucky didn't get it, why wouldn't he want to listen to what that amazing brain was coming up with and creating to shape the world into something better?</p><p>They had formed a friendship and settled into something that Bucky had never dreamed that he would be able to have, especially when he had not been able to settle into a friendship with Steve again, something that he had believed was written into his DNA.</p><p>But they had both changed too much and Steve was desperate for Bucky to be the same man he had been twenty minutes before they hooked onto that zipline and gotten onto the train, and Bucky who had had any form of autonomy for 70 years couldn't make those bonds of friendship with someone who wanted to crush and wipe out who he was now to make him someone else, someone who he wasn't.</p><p>"You're thinking deep thoughts," Tony commented, drawing Bucky's attention back to the present.</p><p>"I am just thinking about how leaving Wakanda and coming here was the best thing that I could have done," Bucky smiled lightly, something that was new for him and felt a little foreign but oh so good!</p><p>"I do make amazing carbonara," Tony nodded.</p><p>"Yeah, the carbonara," Bucky snorted shaking his head.</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Where are you off to?" Bucky asked stepping into the living room in time to see Tony finish tucking his flight suit into his boots. It was still fairly early in the morning and Tony was looking a little stressed.</p><p>"There has been an earthquake in China, there are a lot of people trapped under buildings and rubble, they're desperate for any kind of help that they can get," Tony said as he stood and made his way towards the garage that also housed a small jet for moments like this.</p><p>"Can I come with you?" Bucky asked before he could second guess himself.</p><p>"What?" Tony blinked turning to see Bucky yanking on his boots and grabbing his arm.</p><p>"I want to come with you, to help," Bucky said firmly.</p><p>"You don't have…"</p><p>"I know I don't have to but I want to, I want to start giving back, to the world, to you for everything that you have done for me, I will never be able to pay you back for everything that you have given me, but having your back can be a start. And you said that they needed all the help that they could get, figure super soldier strength would be appreciated," Bucky rambled quickly.</p><p>"Come on, on the jet," Tony shook his head waving Bucky after him.</p><p>It was only once they were on the jet and well on their way that Tony turned around and narrowed his eyes at him where he was sitting in the co-pilot seat.</p><p>"You know that you don't need to pay me back for anything right? I have more than enough money," Tony said.</p><p>"Just because you have a lot of it doesn't mean that you HAVE to spend it on anyone. I would appreciate being allowed to eat at your table if you have $100 to your name or...however much it is that you're worth," Bucky frowned.</p><p>"I…" Tony stared at him as though the words just didn't compute, something that he was not used to seeing on Tony's face.</p><p>"Mrs Rogers would have beaten him black and blue," Bucky sighed shaking his head. "So would my Ma for that case!"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Steve, and the others, they all just accepted that you paid for everything, covered all their costs and buying their clothes and food and stuff without thanking you for it, or offering something back just because you're rich didn't they?" Bucky scowled.</p><p>"I have the money, they didn't," Tony shrugged staring fixedly ahead.</p><p>"Tony, just because you have it doesn't mean you have to share it, you should be grateful to anyone that shares what they have with you, no matter how big or little they have," Bucky said lowly.</p><p>"Is this why you get your panties in a bunch whenever I try and buy your clothes and things?" Tony jumped the conversation and Bucky allowed him, for now.</p><p>"I have more than enough money of my own, you made sure of that, to buy my own clothes," Bucky grinned at the familiar argument.</p><p>"You dress hobo chic though!" Tony whined sounding genuinely distressed.</p><p>"That's my style," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"No Bucky Bear! No!" Tony shook his head.</p><p>"Yup Doll, yup!"</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Erm…" Pepper paused in the doorway to the kitchen staring blankly at the sight in front of her while she tried to get her brain back online.</p><p>Standing in the kitchen cooking what looked like pancakes, was Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, the person that the spy world was terrified of and whose name was spoken like the boogyman to those in the know.</p><p>And he was cooked said pancakes with a high man bun and wearing an Iron Man onesie.</p><p>"Morning Miss Pepper, have you eaten? Coffee?" Bucky smiled seeing her standing there.</p><p>"That would be nice thank you," She answered automatically but didn't move an inch.</p><p>"I believe Miss Pepper is wondering about your attire Mr Bucky," FRIDAY commented cheerfully.</p><p>"Oh, Tony was harping at me to allow him to buy me some clothing that was more to his style and taste. I gave in and took some money from him saying that I would go out and buy something he would wear, what do you think?" Bucky grinned a little spinning on the spot.</p><p>"You have an arc reactor on your butt, it isn't correct," Tony huffed stomping into the kitchen.</p><p>"It is supposed to be cute I think," Bucky shrugged going back to cooking.</p><p>"Cute isn't the word that springs to mind," Tony muttered, and Pepper had to stifle a laugh as she caught him taking in all the muscles bulging the seems of the onesie.</p><p>"Did you buy anything else?" Pepper asked beyond amused as she made her way to sit next to Tony at the breakfast bar.</p><p>"He got about 7 sets of Iron Man pyjamas," Tony grunted. "And he brought back most of the money,"</p><p>"Told you, I won't spend your money Doll, you're feeding me, housing me, making sure I don't get arrested, that is more than I can thank you for," Bucky shook his head placing a pile of pancakes in front of Tony and a cup of coffee the size of his head.</p><p>"New cup?" Pepper asked turning the cup so she could see it read 'I AM a rocket scientist'.</p><p>"Bucky bought it for me, out his own money," Tony pouted.</p><p>"Its called a gift, I know it isn't the type of things that you're used to but…"</p><p>"I love it!" Tony interrupted Bucky's embarrassed ramble. "Why do you think it is the only thing that I drink out of now. It is a gift from you," he said a little softer holding the cup close to him.</p><p>Pepper smiled sadly. So many people thought Tony was high maintenance and difficult, greedy and unappreciative. But she knew that he would love the cup 100 times more than if Bucky had brought back a fancy watch or something for him.</p><p>"And it holds a giant and ridiculous amount of coffee?" Bucky teased.</p><p>"That just makes it perfect!" Tony laughed.</p><p>Pepper noted that Bucky looked accomplished and realised that he had been trying to get Tony to laugh, no doubt knowing as well as she did that the Avengers had never bought Tony something outside of his birthdays and Christmas, and even then it showed that they didn't know him that well.</p><p>"Here we go," Bucky dropped a plate of pancakes and coffee in front of her as well, reminding her she had agreed to food.</p><p>"You two cooking so often is ruining me for the cafeteria at work," Pepper sighed.</p><p>"You should eat better," Bucky scolded her, Tony finally looked up from trying to drown himself drinking from his cup to stare with wide brown eyes between the two of them.</p><p>"Sorry?" Pepper arched an expertly shaped eyebrow at him, but Bucky wouldn't back down.</p><p>"You need to look after yourself better, you eat far too much take out at bad hours, you're nearly as bad as he is!" Bucky pointed at Tony making the two of them splutter. "I have no clue how you both survived a relationship together, you're terrible for overworking and eating badly. You need to make sure that you take more breaks and eat better. It will make taking over the world easier,"</p><p>"Are you talking to me now?" Tony frowned.</p><p>"Nope, you would come close, but Miss Pepper will be the one to take it over, and they won't realise until she has her stilettos through them all," Bucky snorted plopping down on his side of the breakfast bar and eating his own breakfast.</p><p>"That is very true," Tony nodded.</p><p>"Guys!" Pepper laughed blushing.</p><p>"It's true!" They both said grinning when she flustered even more.</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Steve, you might want to come and see this," Natasha called from the living room of their suite.</p><p>Things had been more than a little tense over the last month and a half since Bucky had left after he had told The Avengers the secrets that Steve had been keeping. It was clear that the respect he had held with them, the trust that they had implicitly given him was destroyed.</p><p>He wished that he could blame someone else, he wanted to blame Tony, he wanted to blame Bucky, but the conversations that he had had with the others had nipped that in the bud. And he was left alone most of the days to think about how his actions had led him to where he was now, never mind where they were because they had followed him.</p><p>Bucky had said that he didn't recognise him.</p><p>He wasn't sure he recognised himself.</p><p>He walked into the living room and was stunned to see Bucky on TV.</p><p>"What is going on?" Steve demanded, dread filling him, was he being arrested?</p><p>"They're in China on a rescue with the Government for the earthquake that happened," Clint had barely spoken to him since the day that Bucky had left.</p><p>"They?" Steve frowned.</p><p>"Him and Tony," Sam nodded turning the sound up.</p><p>"What is it you are doing here Mr Barnes?"</p><p>"Why are you with Mr Stark, are you working together?"</p><p>"Are you part of the New Avengers?"</p><p>"Why are you helping?"</p><p>Bucky was holding up what looked like half the building while staring at the cameras who had somehow gotten through to him, looking completely lost.</p><p>"Erm...I'm living with Tony...Mr Stark, he got the call from the Accords about help bein' needed and...I wanted to help," Bucky said awkwardly.</p><p>"Why did you want to help?"</p><p>"I want to give back to people. The people here need help, and I can do it, where else would I be?" Bucky frowned. "Shouldn't you be reporting on the help that is still needed?"</p><p>"Ok everyone, thank you for your time, Mr Barnes is quite correct and you are getting in the way of rescuing people!" Iron Legion bots dropped down in front of Bucky and started herding the reporters back before the shot cut out and they returned to the studio, there was a shot of Tony flying overhead in the Iron Man suit, saluting to Bucky as the Supersoldier looked up, a grateful expression on his face.</p><p>"They're working together now," Steve said lowly.</p><p>"Seems so, he didn't answer as to whether he has joined the Avengers either," Natasha added.</p><p>"And they're living together, Barnes is living at the Tower with Stark," Clint threw in, no doubt to rub salt into the wounds.</p><p>"He's clearly gotten Barnes a pardon as well," Sam sighed looking out the window to the place that was definitely not America.</p><p>"What?" Clint frowned.</p><p>"He's out in public with Tony, he wouldn't be out and about if he didn't have a pardon, smart though he is Barnes wouldn't have been able to sort out a full pardon for himself so quickly. Stark must have done it for him," Sam nodded to the TV.</p><p>"But...why...why would he do that and not for us?" Clint asked.</p><p>"Because out of us all Barnes has done the least damage to him, not betrayed him and turned against him without at least asking what was happening, what had happened and hearing Tony out as a member of the team, instead of treating him like the bad guy of the hour," Natasha sighed standing and leaving the room.</p><p>"Damn it!" Clint clicked the sofa on his way out.</p><p>"You ok?" Sam asked Steve seeing as the Captain just stood there staring at the muted TV.</p><p>"I feel like shit," Steve decided to try being honest. "My best friend is somewhere where I can't help him, I got it really badly wrong and he and Tony are getting on well, they're living together, and all I can think is that it isn't me helping Bucky and I am jealous and angry that it isn't me that helped him,"</p><p>"And?"</p><p>"And it is proof that if I had just told Tony….he would have helped Bucky," Steve dropped onto the sofa holding his head in his hands. "I fucked up,"</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Bucky watched from the kitchen as Peter slumped his way into the living room, over to the sofa and flopped face down onto it with a faint groan and let out a loud sigh.</p><p>He had been allowed to interact with the kid two months ago, a month after he had started staying at the Tower. Tony was protective of the kid and had only allowed them to interact once he was 200% sure of Bucky and he got that.</p><p>He made his way to the fridge using all his 'assassin powers' to not make a noise thinking about the two. They were… Well, cute together, they both tried to keep up the pretence that this was purely a mentor/mentee relationship between the two of them, never mind the fact that Peter spent half the week here eating supper watching films and mucking around with Tony in the lab.</p><p>He had been pretty accepting of Bucky but then he thought that the kid would accept anyone. Bucky was just so worried about doing something to hurt the bright and bubbly kid and normally kept a distance between them, he didn't want Tony worried that he would hurt the kid.</p><p>Though he did think he was going to break a rib one of these days watching the kid try and avoid calling Tony dad. Oblivious to the hopeful expression Tony got every time that he did it.</p><p>"Hey kid, that was a big sigh," Bucky said approaching the sofa slowly so as not to freak him out.</p><p>Peter tensed before rolling into a sitting position and stared at his feet as Bucky got close, none of the normal bubbly and bright personality on show.</p><p>He sat down next to Peter and started the coffee maker making a hot chocolate before holding out a massive slice of ginger cake that he knew the kid liked.</p><p>"Tony isn't going to be back for another hour or so but you can talk to me if you like?" Bucky said concerned when the kid just stared at the cake in his lap instead.</p><p>"I don't want him to know, he will be disappointed in me," Peter muttered.</p><p>"Well I really doubt that unless you bought a Captain America shirt," Bucky hummed and smiled when it got a half-grin from Peter, he handed him the hot chocolate, "why don't you try me?"</p><p>"M bein bullied," Peter muttered, so quietly that Bucky wouldn't have heard it without super hearing. As it was he felt a rush of protectiveness and anger wash over him.</p><p>But that wasn't what the kid needed right now.</p><p>"And you think Tony would be disappointed?" Bucky asked.</p><p>"He's… He's… Tony," Peter waved his hands before shoving an alarmingly big chunk of cake into his mouth almost viciously.</p><p>"If you're insinuating what I think you are Peter, I hate to break it to you but Tony went to college at 15, he's a genius, smart-mouthed sarcasm monster, if people didn't bully him in college I'll eat my arm. I think that's why Rhodes is so protective of him," Bucky snorted.</p><p>"I'm letting myself get bullied," Peter said but he was looking at Bucky now. Except Bucky wanted to go beat the shit out of whatever snot-nosed brat had hurt the kid because he had goddam puppy eyes that put Steve's to shame.</p><p>"OK, that is victim shaming which nope! And you're being the better person by not resorting to this pricks level and pancaking him, doesn't mean you're letting it happen, it means you're a good kid. It is the same as me not biting back when the Press try and get a rise out of me by bringing up my past and saying shit about me, I know I can pancake them with a thought, so I keep my temper and ignore them," Bucky smiled.</p><p>"Don't tell Tony, please, I can cope with it," Peter said with that same damn determined look Tony got.</p><p>"I won't tell him, now finish your cake," Bucky rolled his eyes.</p><p>"I have history homework, can I ask a few questions? It's actually why I came over," Peter smiled a little brighter.</p><p>And Bucky well, that warmth in his chest that grew from those words only got brighter when Tony came back and found Peter excitedly scribbling away as Bucky spoke about the war.</p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Bucky used every skill and ability that had been 'gifted' to him by HYDRA. His mission hadn't been easy, some of his sources had been difficult and problematic in a way that he had not planned for or anticipated, but finally, he had gotten to where he needed to be and was ready to take down his target.</p><p>The little shit threatening Peter nearly wet himself when Bucky slammed his fist into the wall between the two of them, literally into the wall, and he made sure to use his metal one.</p><p>"Hey Pete, you were late leaving so I came to check where you were," Bucky said while giving the kid what Tony called murder face number 1.</p><p>"Bucky what you doing here?!" Peter gawped as Bucky yanked his arm free.</p><p>"I thought I would pick you up and take you out after school. Hey! Why doesn't your friend here come with us?" Bucky smirked and stepped up to murder face number 2.</p><p>"Erm…" Peter looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or not.</p><p>"We could take him for A. Nice. Long. Drive," Bucky put as much menace into his tone as possible. And the little shit squeaked before racing out of there.</p><p>"Erm…"</p><p>"Thought we could go and get ice cream, Tony showed me a great place, they do cookie dough as well, you fancy it?" Bucky asked brightly as he turned and started heading back to the car.</p><p>"I should have known you were going to do something when you said you wouldn't tell Tony," Peter snorted loping after Bucky.</p><p>"Don't know what you're talking about, I told you, ice cream and cookie dough," Bucky shrugged lazily.</p><p>"Ah-ha," Peter looked at him pointedly, meaning Bucky had to pull him out of the way of a pillar to stop Peter walking into it. Honestly, how the kid was still alive he didn't know.</p><p>"Don't ah-ha me like that," Bucky grunted. Peter grinned at him instead of being scared.</p><p>"Are you parked in a senior citizen space!" Peter spluttered indignantly when Bucky unlocked the car.</p><p>"I am a senior citizen," Bucky shrugged getting in, Peter managing to climb in on the other side while floundering and flapping his hands.</p><p>"Dude you are not!"</p><p>"Dude I am 91 years old, I count, now put your damned seatbelt on or we ain't going anywhere," Bucky rolled his eyes.</p><p>"That isn't how it works!" Peter protested as Bucky drove off.</p><p>"Nowhere in the rules does it state that Supersoldiers don't count for the senior spaces, it goes off your age, and my passport says I was born 1925!" Bucky smirked.</p><p>"...what type of cookie dough does this place have?" Peter pouted.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"I'm worried." Tony's words had Bucky pausing in reading his book and looking up right away, he stopped panicking himself though when he took in the pout on Tony's face where he had rolled onto his stomach, his legs swinging in the air as he looked at Bucky.</p><p>"You look it," Bucky rolled his eyes checking the time and closing his book as he realised it was nearly time for him to go and pick up Peter anyway.</p><p>"No, I am!" Tony insisted.</p><p>"Ok, and what are you worried about?" Bucky asked as he tugged his shoes on.</p><p>"You and my Honey Bear are getting on, Honey Bear has stopped glaring at you even!"</p><p>"And that worries you? You have spent the last four months complaining about that fact your 'Honey Bear and Bucky Bear' aren't getting on," Bucky grunted, but he knew he was screwed when Tony perked up, his eyes honing in on the red in his cheeks.</p><p>"What happened?" Tony begged to know.</p><p>"I'm not telling you," Bucky muttered.</p><p>"I'm just going to jump to conclusions! I am going to presume that…" Tony chuckled behind the metal hand that had covered his mouth before he had carried on.</p><p>"I don't even want to know what you were about to say," Bucky huffed grabbing the car keys and standing. "Ask Rhodes, tell him I said you could tell him," He said as he made his way to the elevator.</p><p>"Bucky!" Tony was leaning over the back of the sofa, his eyes and face warm. "If you don't want me to know I don't have to know, I was teasing,"</p><p>"I know," Bucky smiled before snorting. "Ask Rhodes!"</p><p>Tony barely waited for the door to close on the elevator before he was calling Rhodey, grinning when his Honey Bear's grumpy face appeared.</p><p>"Oh no, what do you want?" Rhodey sighed recognising the expression.</p><p>"Is that any way to say hello to the man that you love, I am telling Carol!" Tony pouted.</p><p>"Snitch. Hello light of my life, what you do you want?" Rhodey said dryly making Tony laugh.</p><p>"Bucky gave me permission to call you and find out why you have suddenly stopped glaring at him," Tony wiggled eagerly in his seat.</p><p>"You have that poor guy twisted around your little finger," Rhodey shook his head.</p><p>"See! He has gone from being Barnes to 'that poor guy'!"</p><p>"Ok, you know we have been working on the new set of stuffed bears in the shape of the New Avengers to try and increase our popularity?" Rhodey asked.</p><p>"Yeah, Carol complains all the time that she is a Captain, not a toymaker and PR person," Tony nodded.</p><p>"We were going over with Bucky the design of his, and we talking through his prosthetic arm on the bear. He is most recognised for the star design on it, but well...yeah the Soviet star was really a no, we talked about stars and stripes but he vetoed that right away because it was too close to Rogers. We went in circles for a little bit until I told him to think about where was home to him, meaning a place thinking he would say New York and we could slap an Empire State building on the bear or something, but he said...hang on I will show you…" Rhodey ducked out of shot to grab something leaving Tony watching the screen confused and trying to work out what Bucky would have said.</p><p>"Oh, that is cute!" Tony chuckled seeing the bear come into sight on the screen.</p><p>"Right, the design team did well with them," Rhodey smiled before turning the bear so Tony could see its prosthetic arm and the mini logo that was on there. Tony gasped and brought the phone closer to confirm what he was seeing.</p><p>"Is that…"</p><p>"Stark Logo, he said you and the Stark Tower were home," Rhodey smirked. "Can't hate or not trust the guy when he says something like that with the face he did. Even Carol nearly cooed,"</p><p>"Can you send me the bear?" Tony asked softly. Rhodey stared at Tony intently before he chuckled to himself.</p><p>"God Tony you never do things the easy way do you. Though in this case, I think I have nothing to worry about besides being called in the middle of the night to help bury bodies of people that looked at you wrong or blew a hair out of place,"</p><p>"Shud up," Tony whined into the cushion he yanked over his face to hide his blush.</p><p>"I will get it sent over to you," Rhodey waved the bear. "Now I need to go, I'm cooking for Carol tonight,"</p><p>"Don't give her food poisoning," Tony called cheerfully even as his mind was spinning.</p><p>"That was twice!" Rhodey spluttered.</p><p>"Five times," Tony snorted.</p><p>"You better not give me food poisoning James!" Carol shouted in the background.</p><p>"I will speak to you later!" Rhodey glared at him.</p><p>"Love you!"</p><p>"Yeah love you too," Rhodey huffed and hung up just as Tony heard Carol threatening to feed Rhodey to Goose if he gave her food poisoning.</p><p>He dropped back into the sofa staring at the ceiling as the thoughts ran faster and faster around in his head.</p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Peter dropped eagerly onto the sofa as Tony put their dinner dishes away into the dishwasher, the young teen started loading up the TV and scanned through to find the next film they had agreed to watch in Bucky's pop culture catch up.</p><p>He closed the dishwasher and grabbed a few blankets before wandering over and flopping down onto the sofa next to Peter, throwing a blanket over him as the teen got The Last Jedi up on the TV and paused it, already chattering Tony's ear off about the film and peoples reaction to it and what he thought about it.</p><p>Tony smiled to himself and he threw the second blanket over himself. This was the first time that they had done something like this with Bucky and the kid was excited. Bucky normally retreated from spending time with the two of them, scared of hurting Peter, but thankfully over the last couple of weeks that seemed to have gone and he was spending more and more time with Peter, and with Peter and Tony when they did things like their film nights.</p><p>"Where is Mr Barnes?" Peter frowned, finally taking a breath and looking around.</p><p>"He is doing the perimeter check," Tony said settling their sweets and treats out onto the table.</p><p>"Perimeter, why?" Peter frowned.</p><p>"It is just something that makes him feel better, to know that you and I are secure, it is leftover from what he has been through, the same way as I don't like being handed things except by those I really trust after what happened to me in Afghanistan," Tony explained.</p><p>"Oh, ok," Peter nodded acceptingly, and Tony met Bucky's eyes over his head, the hope and happiness, the sense of home that he could see in the man for being accepted, just as he was, flaws, damage and all, smiling and beckoning him over to them.</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Bucky yawned a little as Rise of Skywalker finished and he turned to look at two of the most important people in his life.</p><p>He defied anyone not to like Peter within minutes of meeting him, not including that little twerp in Peter's school, and the more time that he spent with the kid the more he liked him.</p><p>And Tony. Well, Tony had given him EVERYTHING. More than he would ever realise. He was...everything to Bucky, and it slightly scared Bucky thinking what he would do for Tony, and what he would do if something ever happened to the frighteningly amazing man.</p><p>Looking at the two of them now he shook his head slightly, his lips turning up fondly. Peter was fast asleep lying on his side with his head on Tony's lap as the genius' clever fingers combed through his brown hair almost absently, and Tony was leaning against Bucky's arm blinking unseeingly and drowsily at the TV, clearly just waking up even though he had insisted to Bucky half an hour ago he was sleepy.</p><p>Shaking his head Bucky went to move and start them heading to bed. He managed to get Tony to his feet, and bending he lifted the kid up, still burritoed into his blanket and headed for the elevator, trying to hide his laughter when Tony just hooked his finger into the belt loop of his jeans and towed himself along behind Bucky, his blanket still wrapped around his shoulders.</p><p>It was scarily domestic, placing Peter into his bed here in the Tower, the room he stayed in becoming more and more his as the weeks went by. Tony had moved passed him to tug the blankets back for Bucky to be able to put him on the bed, and he drew them over the kid now, thankfully he had changed into sweats and a T-shirt earlier.</p><p>Bucky felt something shifting in his chest, something that he thought had been frozen and long dead when he watched Tony tenderly sweep Peter's hair off of his forehead and then tucked him in before turning and leaving, snagging Bucky's hand on the way passed.</p><p>They only stopped once they were outside Bucky's bedroom and Tony turned to look at him with those damned soulful brown eyes that Bucky wanted to fall into. He was both shocked and not when Tony cupped his face and went up onto his toes, and after a mili second of hesitation, he lowered his head to meet Tony in a sweet and simple kiss that said everything, and offered the world to him.</p><p>This seemed to have been coming all evening, something changed between them, and it was like a storm breaking finally tasting Tony and feeling his smaller, firm body against his own as he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer.</p><p>Neither of them deepened the kiss just enjoying the simple pressure and touch, exploring gently and tenderly until Bucky pulled away. The smile that he gave Tony was soft and completely for the brilliant man in his arms before he stepped back and released him.</p><p>"Goodnight Sweetheart," Bucky breathed kissing Tony gently once more before he turned and opened the door to his room.</p><p>"Bucky?" Tony called just as he went to shut the door. He looked up to see Tony standing there looking breathtakingly relaxed and happy. "You've become my home too,"</p><p>That night Bucky went to sleep carefully aware of that little flame in his chest, so delicate and fragile but so worth protecting and encouraging.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Bucky was slightly worried that Peter was going to hyperventilate if he didn't stop laughing soon.</p><p>"What's so funny?" Tony yawned walking into the kitchen. Peter just pointed a shaking finger in Bucky's direction as he carried on laughing. "Oh come on, how many of them do you have!?"</p><p>"They're comfy," Bucky shrugged where he was standing frying eggs in his Iron Man pyjamas. These ones had what FRIDAY had told him was Chibi Iron Men, hundreds of them in various cute and adorable positions. Including one where he was curled under a blanket that reminded Bucky exactly of Tony, he had even found him in the workshop one time in his Iron Man suit under a blanket sleeping.</p><p>"Well…" Tony smirked and Bucky felt a confusion mixture of arousal and panic go through him, Peter managed to calm his laughter down to chuckles to look at Tony eagerly. "I see your PJs and I raise them with…."</p><p>Bucky and Peter both fell about laughing this time, Bucky quickly rescuing his eggs off the hob before leaning on the counter to laugh as he took in the top Tony had hidden under the big sweater he had been wearing.</p><p>It was a perfect replica of Bucky's Winter Soldier leather jacket and metal arm printed onto the shirt, complete with fake abs that you couldn't see through Bucky's body armour anyway.</p><p>"Revenge is sweet my dear!" Tony crowed happily. "And…"</p><p>This time Peter and Bucky really lost it as Tony yanked his sweats down revealing Spider-Man pyjama bottoms underneath.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Future</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hurry up we're going to be late!" Bucky called grabbing Peter's backpack.</p><p>"I can't find my shoe!" Peter swung into the room, scanning it from a height before making a triumphant noise and landed, grabbing the lost shoe.</p><p>"Bucky I can't find my tie!" Tony hopped into the living room yanking on his shoes.</p><p>"I have your tie here, Peter get both your shoes on, here are your lunches!" Bucky grabbed the three lunches he had put together the night before, shoving Peter's into his backpack and threw it at Peter without looking knowing that he would catch it, He shoved Tony's into his briefcase and passed it to him, looping his tie around his neck at the same time.</p><p>He and Tony grabbed their car keys and Bucky put his own lunch into his backpack before he waved Peter to the garage.</p><p>"Have a good day," Tony called racing over and kissing Peter's cheek and then kissing Bucky sweetly on the lips before hurrying back to his car.</p><p>"I hope Pepper doesn't kill you for being late!" Bucky called as he and Peter waved cheerfully at Tony for his glare before they took off out the garage.</p><p>"We're going to be late!" Peter whined looking at the time.</p><p>"We're not going to be late, have a little faith kid," Bucky scolded dodging around a car.</p><p>"Oh god! I don't want to die, I don't care if I am late!" Peter amended as they slipped into a gap that didn't look big enough for a car half their size, never mind this size.</p><p>"Don't so dramatic," Bucky rolled his eyes before skidding across three lanes.</p><p>"Oh god oh god oh god oh god!"</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Are you ok Peter? You look a little sick," Ned asked concerned.</p><p>"Bucky brought me to school today," Peter said as tough that answered the question.</p><p>"Oh cool, he's cool," Ned grinned before sobering and shaking his head at Peter when he caught his expression. "He's not cool?"</p><p>"He's trying to kill me," Peter whined. "He got me here from the Tower in ten minutes,"</p><p>"Oh...wow...by car?" Ned blinked, that was a half-hour drive.</p><p>"Exactly," Peter looked at Ned with tears in his eyes.</p><p>"Oh dear, come on let's get you some water," Ned chuckled dragging his friend away.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Hey Bucky," Hope smiled falling into step with him as he hurried through the Compound.</p><p>"Morning," he smiled a little at her. She was an impressive woman who reminded him of a mixture of Pepper and Tony with a bit of Peggy in there as well.</p><p>"We have had word back on the release of the Avenger Bears, they are going down well and the funds that they have raised for the Maria Stark Foundation is impressive, here are the different charities and world events that need looking at to start assigning the money," She handed over about 17 folders to him before waving. "Have fun," She laughed.</p><p>"FRIDAY, please tell me that the coffee machine is brewing," Bucky sighed, this was additional work on his additional work.</p><p>"It is brewed and ready for you to pour Mr Bucky," FRIDAY said, sounding amused, he would have glared at her nearest camera, but well she had coffee ready for him.</p><p>He stepped into his office and aimed straight for the coffee machine, pouring himself a nice big cup and taking a sip before he did anything else, sighing in relief. The kid was in school on time, despite his whining about them dying, Tony was on his way to his meeting with Pepper, and he had made it to the compound on time.</p><p>Sitting down at his desk he sat back in his chair for a moment and looked around the office, his office. It was funny really, the Winter Soldier fear of the spy world, in an office, with officey things around him. He had his own computer, pens and paper, phone, and then the personal things that he had slowly been bringing in with him.</p><p>He had a few knick-knacks and ornaments that he had bought when he was out and about with Tony and Peter, a little Spiderman glass ornament he had seen in Venice, the pretty little blue glass vase that had a twin red one sitting on Tony's desk in the Workshop at the Tower.</p><p>One of his prized possessions, however, was the framed photograph that Tony had given him for his birthday the month before. He had given him a beautiful glass engraved photo frame, but the picture inside was the thing that made it so special, it was a photo that Pepper had taken of him, Peter and Tony together one morning, all three of them in ridiculous Avengers pyjamas in the kitchen, Peter was draped over Tony was way draped over Bucky who was laughing and trying to cook their breakfast.</p><p>They looked so happy, they looked close and free, and it was something that Bucky had never thought he was going to have, not since he had been captured by HYDRA in the 1940s, and yet here it was.</p><p>He had filled his desk with other photos Tony working into Workshop with Peter the two of them with their heads together, Peter playing fetch with Dum-E and U, Tony sitting curled up in an armchair in their living room reading and tucked under a blanket. Tony's birthday when they had gone to his favourite restaurant as a surprise, the photo held so many of them, Tony, Bucky, Peter, Pepper, May, Rhodey, Carol, Jessica, Matt, Luke, Danny, Vision, Hope, Stephen and Wong, they had asked the waiter to take the picture of them, and they were all glowing and smiling at the camera after a good meal and a good evening, laughing and joking together. That night had healed what had been broken in Tony by the betrayal of the Rogues.</p><p>He had family and friends, people who had planned this for him and all shown up to help him celebrate, and he had loved the presents that they had gotten him, they had all tried to outdo each other trying to find functional but hilarious Avengers gifts, and Tony had absolutely loved it.</p><p>The photos gathering on his desk and spilling over onto his cabinets and other furniture were proof of a life that Bucky never thought that he would have, and he loved it. He felt guilty that Steve wasn't in those pictures, that he didn't have a place in them, but he knew in his heart of hearts that had Steve been here, these moments wouldn't have happened, his insistence to force the past and a mask onto Bucky of a man he wasn't anymore wouldn't have been good for him. The people in these pictures helped him figure out who he was now, and accepted that person, they let him know that that person was absolutely ok to be.</p><p>He even liked that he had work and a job he thought, even as he eyed the paperwork piled onto his desk. He had gotten bored sitting in the Tower while Tony was working, and there were no courses that took his attention that he wanted to do to carry on his education right now. But he was bored and wanted to work. Finally, he had spoken to Tony and Rhodey about it, and the next thing he had so many options his head had spun.</p><p>He didn't want to work for SI, no matter how much he loved Tony they worked together enough...and they would be a distraction for each other. Working at the Compound had been a good idea and he helped with the every day running of it, he was technically the head of security here, and he had taken on a role within the Maria Stark Foundation, another way to give back to the world under the name of the woman he had killed. It felt right to be doing good in her name.</p><p>Grumbling to himself he stopped daydreaming and putting off his paperwork, tugging the first pile toward himself and started working, FRIDAY started playing some relaxing classical music that he liked working to, and he nodded in appreciation before settling into work.</p><p> </p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Ok?" Bucky asked softly once the call finished, settling down next to Tony and ran his fingers through his hair.</p><p>"I don't know," Tony sighed turning and wrapping his arms around Bucky's waist, pressing his face into his chest as though he could hide there from the world.</p><p>Bucky wasn't going to turn that down and leaned back against the sofa holding Tony like he could protect him from the world. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that but eventually, Tony sighed and turned his head so that his cheek was resting on Bucky's chest.</p><p>"We both knew that this was going to happen," Tony said after a few moments.</p><p>"Yeah we did," Bucky agreed, just rubbing Tony's back.</p><p>"I…" Tony frowned, and Bucky could practically see his brain spinning. "I am going to try this communication thing that we are working on,"</p><p>"Ok," Bucky couldn't help his snort, only Tony would phrase 'I am going to tell you the truth and I am not sure how you're going to take it' like that.</p><p>"I am worried about how they are going to change what we have. I am happy, I really like what we have here, even if we are out there risking our lives every day to save the world, twice on Tuesdays, I'm worried that them coming back is going to mess that up," Tony admitted to Bucky's pec, his eyes determinedly not moving from it.</p><p>"You're worried about Steve coming back?" Bucky guessed.</p><p>"He is your best friend, he has shown that he would do anything for you," Tony sighed again.</p><p>"Including ignoring my consent to let the witch into my head because who I am isn't right to him for who he wanted me to be," Bucky reminded him. "Steve was my best friend, and part of me hopes that we can be friends again because I do have those memories, but if time and distance haven't changed his attitude then that isn't going to happen. And no matter who comes back, he isn't getting between what we have,"</p><p>"I don't want to have to see them again," Tony said quietly.</p><p>"Then you don't have to, if you really don't want to see them, they're going to be staying at the Compound, we live here, aside from a few meetings where we can make sure that they are nowhere near you," Bucky promised.</p><p>"I just...it feels as though I have been living in a dream since I walked into the Hulk room to find you sitting there in your underwear…" Tony chuckled softly, throwing his legs over Bucky's thick thighs when the Supersoldier groaned and dropped his head back at the millionth reminder.</p><p>"I wanted to be none threatening!" Bucky whined.</p><p>"I was threatening a nose bleed seeing all those muscles on display," Tony smiled back in their familiar banter about that moment now. "I just...everything has been good, and it just feels like them coming back is risking everything that I have built going back to how it was. What was and what I thought things were are so different, that them coming back makes me worry about what I have now," Tony rambled, holding onto Bucky like he was afraid he was going to disappear.</p><p>Bucky hummed and stared at the ceiling thinking about how he could best put Tony's mind at ease about what was happening.</p><p>"Hey!" Tony complained when Bucky dug into the back pocket of his jeans and snagged his wallet. Ignoring his lover Bucky flipped the wallet open and withdrew the picture that Tony kept in there, it was the same one that sat pride of place on Bucky's desk of him, Peter and Tony.</p><p>"When you have those thoughts, when you have those worries, look at this and know that this, this is going nowhere, this moment was real, as are the hundreds of others that we have had, and the hundreds of others we will have," Bucky smiled kissed Tony's forehead as Tony took the picture from his hand.</p><p>"You're a soppy bugger you know that," Tony pressed his smile into Bucky's chest.</p><p>"Also I have spent way too much on ridiculous pyjamas for this to be anything but real," Bucky grinned.</p><p>"So your massive collection of ridiculous pyjamas is your proof of investment in this relationship?" Tony grinned back.</p><p>"Exactly!" Bucky nodded firmly, but his brain was already spinning with a plan. He had a month before the Rogues were back to get it done.</p><p>He would need help though.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Hey p...Bucky!" Peter bounced into the room.</p><p>The amusement at Peter trying not to call Tony dad and Tony's hoping for it wasn't as funny as Peter kept aborting himself from calling Bucky what he was sure was going to be Pop, and his heart jumped every time.</p><p>"Hey kid, good day at school?" Bucky asked digging into the fridge and throwing the salad that he had made for Peter at the teen.</p><p>"Oh god, it is your chicken and bacon salad, whatever this top-secret thing is, this is so worth it!" Peter groaned.</p><p>"You make it sound shady!" Bucky rolled his eyes.</p><p>"FRIDAY is super excited about it and played the Pink Panther theme in my ear the whole time I was swinging over here, it feels shady now. Especially with the whole, don't under any circumstances tell Tony," Peter shrugged.</p><p>"I need your help with a surprise for Tony," Bucky decided to cut to the chase before Peter could come up with 1001 ridiculous reasons he could be here that would be nowhere near the truth.</p><p>"Ooo ok," Peter leant forward eagerly.</p><p>"I need your help making something for Tony, my skills are ok, but I want it to be perfect," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"What is it? What are we making?" Peter was wiggling in excitement making Bucky laugh.</p><p>"A ring," Bucky said and sat back as he watched the kid's head explode.</p><p>"A...A...A...A...A ring ring! Like ring, you know A Ring," Peter said pointing at the ring finger on his right hand.</p><p>"Wrong hand kiddo," Bucky chuckled.</p><p>"ARE WE MAKING TONY AN ENGAGEMENT RING!" Peter squealed excitedly. Bucky thanked god for soundproofing considering the hall outside his was full of people and FRIDAY couldn't seem to contain herself anymore and started playing the bridal march loudly.</p><p>"Yes an engagement ring," Bucky nodded before the two went nuts again.</p><p>"Ok, ok ok!" Peter waved his hands digging a pad out from Bucky's filing cabinet and a pen from his desk and then looked at Bucky seriously. "What are we thinking?"</p><p>"I managed to buy some vibranium from Princess Shuri from Wakanda, so I want that as the main ring, and last time Loki visited I asked him to bring back a jewel from Asgard…"</p><p>"Oh my god you got Tony space jewels, he will love it!" Peter squealed before looking at Bucky apologetically.</p><p>"Yes I did, Loki said that it is a traditional stone given in an engagement, Valkyrie confirmed that for me because I didn't trust him not to give me a funeral stone," Bucky dug into his desk and placed the small stone onto the desk and 2 canisters of liquid vibranium.</p><p>"Oh, it is so pretty!" Peter said in awe as he looked at the stone, it was impressive, it was a diamond but it was like a flame had been caught inside of it, constantly shining with a light from within.</p><p>"I wanted to twine the gold and silver vibranium so they're twisted around each other and have the stone as the centrepiece. Do you think that this is something that we can do?" Bucky asked nervously.</p><p>"Definitely!" Peter nodded reading the notes that Shuri had sent over with the vibranium.</p><p>"Brilliant, FRIDAY took Tony's ring size, so we're good to go, hopefully, he will say yes," Bucky muttered but Peter just looked at him pityingly.</p><p>"If you think he is going to say anything but yes you're nuts. The two of you are sickeningly in love," Peter snorted before putting the vibranium and the stone into his backpack and grabbed Bucky's hand. "Come on, let's get started!"</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"The terms of your parole is not negotiable," Carol said sharply as Steve and Natasha tried to argue the terms.</p><p>"Parole?" Steve frowned.</p><p>"Oh, please don't tell me that you thought that this was a pardon?" Stephen snorted, ignoring the look that Carol gave him and just raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the man.</p><p>"Isn't it?" Clint frowned.</p><p>"No, this is parole, you are being allowed back into the country and you will stop being hunted down, but there will be consequences for the things that you have been charged with and you will be on parole. You will abide by the rules that are in this agreement, or you won't be coming back and you will go back to being the most wanted terrorists in the world," Stephen shrugged uncaringly.</p><p>"You act as though we don't want us to come back," Sam frowned.</p><p>"We don't," Carol said simply, and Stephen glanced to her impressed, he couldn't have been blunter himself. "To be honest, we don't. We don't feel that we need you, we have a good setup here with multiple teams that work well together, and we are only improving by the day. We have used your example and ensured that the mistakes that were made won't happen again. I run a tight ship here and I, in particular, do not feel that you are going to be able to settle into the Compound and follow the rules, you coming back is just a headache in the waiting for me,"</p><p>"Not to mention the fact that you have already shown disregard for the agreements that we have worked hard to improve and work, to make sure that it suits everyone, if you come back and muck it up, you are going to be undoing over a year's worth of hard work with the Accords," Stephen snorted.</p><p>"The only saving grace is that it was the Accord Council's decision to hold out the olive branch to you and bring you back, probably because they are fed up having to hunt your arses down and don't want you to be their problem anymore so they are dumping you on us. If this goes tits up we can blame the Council themselves and just say 'we told you so' and refer them to the minutes of the meetings we attended listing the reasons that we thought this was a bad idea," Carol nodded to Stephen.</p><p>"I do like saying I told you so," Stephen smirked.</p><p>"The Accords Council wanted us back?" Steve said quietly, gaining their attention.</p><p>"Tony Stark was not the one to organise this for you no," Carol said cutting to the root of that comment.</p><p>"He owes you nothing, why would he organise this for you? He has been making a life here, a life that you all broke apart. He doesn't want you back either," Stephen crossed his arms.</p><p>"He has been living the fine life while we have been banished!" Clint snapped.</p><p>"I am going to stop you there. You are not banished, you are on the run because you committed criminal acts in multiple countries, and you chose the side that you were on, and Tony's fine life has consisted of fixing the mess that you all left him, including looking after your family and making sure that they had a roof over their heads and food on their table because you were on the run and couldn't supply them with money. You made your choice, these are the consequences, you have no one to blame but yourself. For a spy you are particularly stupid, what did you think was going to happen choosing the side of the guy who was against the Accords that 117 countries had demanded, with more joining each day?" Stephen sneered.</p><p>"I will say this only once, Tony Stark is not to blame for the situation that you find yourselves in, and I will not stand for anyone attacking him, if you choose to sign and come back I will not stand for any personal attacks on him, and neither will his friends and family here. The only thing standing between you being cooked alive by Pepper Potts is that Tony has requested that you are given a fair chance by everyone when you come back," Carol met each of their eyes.</p><p>"What are the terms?" Steve asked after a few beats.</p><p>"They are simple:</p><p>You will not be engaging in Avenger missions for a month while you take place in training and find a rhythm with the current Avengers, or until I see fit.</p><p>You may be split up and placed onto different teams, it is unlikely that you will all stay together.</p><p>You are limited in your movements and if you wish to leave the New York state you have to put a request in with either your team leader or myself and have it authorised. If you are told no, the answer is no. If you leave the State without permission you will be found and arrested.</p><p>You will not in any way physically or mentally attack another Avenger member or Compound staff member unless your life is in danger, the use of any enhanced gifts, spying or otherwise will not be tolerated</p><p>You will be monitored for 6 months, after this time if the Council feel that you have done satisfactorily this will stop</p><p>You are to perform 350 hours of community service, each, the type will be assigned by the Maria Stark Foundation, chosen by Virginal Potts and James Buchanan Barnes.</p><p>More than fair I believe?" Carol crossed her arms.</p><p>"Bucky? Why does he choose our community service with Pepper?" Steve asked.</p><p>"Bucky has been working for the Foundation for a year now, and he works here at the Compound so he was the best choice," Stephen sighed.</p><p>"Stark is making him work?"</p><p>The Rogues were all baffled when Carol and Stephen started laughing.</p><p>"Oh good one," Stephen chortled.</p><p>"What! Why is that funny?!"</p><p>"That is Bucky's place to say, Rogers, if he wants to tell you what he has been doing, he can," Carol shrugged.</p><p>"I…"</p><p>"We're not here to discuss anything but your Parole agreements and you signing the Accords. Now, the Accord rules are…"</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Bucky Bear," Tony whined. Bucky just laughed and shifted Tony a little further up his back where she was clinging onto his like a koala bear, his legs around Bucky's waist with Captain Marvel socks on his feet, his arms twined around Bucky's shoulders and his face pressed into Bucky's shoulder.</p><p>"I can't make food cook any quicker Sweetheart," Bucky laughed.</p><p>"You could if you had let me put that laser in your arm," Tony huffed.</p><p>"Then it would be burnt," Bucky said simply, turning the bacon over.</p><p>"Hmmm, you're comfy at least," Tony sighed contently nuzzling his throat.</p><p>"I have seen the places you fall asleep, I am not sure that that is the compliment that you think it is," Bucky rubbed Tony's leg gently.</p><p>Finally, their breakfast was ready and once he had placed their plates onto the table overlooking the city, and crouched so Tony could just drop into his seat, he sat opposite him and twined their legs together.</p><p>They ate quietly, Tony hummed happily at the food and just enjoying his quiet time with Bucky. They tried to make sure that they did something like this a few times a week.</p><p>Tony chewed happily on his breakfast as he watched Bucky eat his own breakfast and read whatever book it was he was reading now on his Stark Pad.</p><p>He was struck again how different from Steve he was. Both were men out of time, both had been through a hell of a lot, two Supersoldiers. But so different.</p><p>Once upon a time Tony had imagined that he could fall in love with Steve, he had a crush on him, and he thought with a little work it could become love. He liked to think that he had not fallen in love with Steve Rogers because part of him had known that Steve didn't really care for him and that he wasn't one of his top priorities, the lack of phone call when Tony 'came back from the dead' after the Mandarin proved that to him.</p><p>But part of him, the romantic part that he had liked to pretend didn't exist, liked to think that he had known that Steve wasn't right and that there was someone else out there for him, another Supersoldier who was Mr Right.</p><p>Steve was stuck in the past, always looking back to the 1040s like it was the best time ever, and that nothing could be as good, or as right as that time again. He was mistrusting of the future and technology and all the advanced things that existed, and even though he had gotten used to it and used it quite well, a part of him still didn't like it.</p><p>Bucky though, Bucky was in awe of the future, he looked around in amazement at what the world had become, how it had advanced, he saw how it was better, how it had improved. He embraced every new thing he came across with excitement and passion, and he loved every moment of it. He snorted when Tony had asked if he missed the 1940's and asked if he would go back if he could, the answer had been amusing.</p><p>'No, it was shit, we were always hungry, we boiled everything, we were cold and dressed in third or fourth hand clothes, we were packed into tiny houses and one-bedroom flats, medicine was stupidly expensive, there weren't any rights, you and I wouldn't have been allowed to be together like this and I had to pretend to be into dames all the time, we didn't have phones, computers, internet, why would I miss that? I miss the people I loved there, but as much as it hurts they're gone, and leaving you, Petey, Pepper, Rhodey and the others? I had friends but not like I have here, where I can be 100% myself with them, not having you or Petey to love? No thanks,'</p><p>And that was it.</p><p>Steve disliked the future.</p><p>Bucky loved the future.</p><p>Tony was a futurist. How could Bucky be anything but the one for him?</p><p>"What you thinking deep thoughts about?" Bucky asked curiously without looking up from his book.</p><p>"How much I love you and how happy I am that you came into my life," Tony said softly and was rewarded with bright blue, happy eyes snapping onto him before he got that dopey, heartwarming smile that was just for him.</p><p>"FRIDAY?" Bucky called, confusing Tony, he had expected some nice words back! And he wasn't pouting!</p><p>"Is it time?" FRIDAY sounded so excited.</p><p>"Yeah, go," Bucky smiled even more dopely at him.</p><p>Tony opened his mouth to ask what was going on, when suddenly the song It had to be you, filled the room.</p><p>"This is…"</p><p>"The first song that we danced to, at that gala," Bucky nodded standing and making his way around the table to Tony as he dug something out his fluffy Spiderman pyjama bottoms pocket.</p><p>"What are…" Tony's mouth dropped open as Bucky dropped down onto one knee, making it quite clear what he was doing.</p><p>"You saved me, you saved me from being lost, you gave me a home, family, a kid! You have given me love, understanding and acceptance. You became my home Tony, and I have never loved anyone the way that I have loved you. Before I even realised that I still had a heart left to give, it was in your hands, and I know that it is perfectly safe there. We spoke a couple of weeks ago about how invested I am, and I want you to know that I am invested the whole way. You're my fella, and I am yours, and the thought of getting to spend the rest of my life with you is the only way I can imagine spending it now. So, I want to ask, if you will do me the amazing honour and become my husband?"</p><p>Bucky held the ring up, beautifully shining silver and gold vibranium twisted together beautifully, with the stone shining fiercely at the centre of it reminding him always of Tony, shining out to the world from the light inside of him.</p><p>"Bucky...where did you get this?!" Tony gasped at the ring.</p><p>"The kid and I made it," Bucky smiled embarrassedly at him, and that was the final straw for Tony.</p><p>He launched himself at Bucky, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and kissed him repeatedly, muttering 'yes, yes, yes' between kisses, and during them.</p><p>"Oh thank god!" Bucky laughed weakly, quickly sliding the ring onto Tony's finger before he could change his mind.</p><p>"You two made this together?" Tony smiled contently looking at the ring on his finger.</p><p>"Yeah, the swear jar may be slightly fuller after it, we had to call the Princess for help as well," Bucky snorted holding Tony close.</p><p>"I love you too, you know," Tony looked at him. "When I look at the future I see hundreds of different options and paths and ways that things could go, it is the way my brain works. But my life, since realising that I had fallen in love with you, the only future I see is one with you," Tony smiled cupping Bucky's face and kissing him properly this time, his heart fluttering with love and amazement for the man in his arms.</p><p>And his future hadn't looked brighter or better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter Four</p><p>"No! I won't do it, Tony, I can't do it," Bucky's voice said desperately.</p><p>"You have to!"</p><p>"No, I don't want to hurt anyone else!"</p><p>"You have to do this, it is for their own good!" Tony demanded frustratingly.</p><p>"I...I...no I can't I just can't!"</p><p>"Bucky do it!"</p><p>"No...no you're going to have to do this yourself!" Bucky said frantically.</p><p>"What the hell is going on there?" Rhodey asked confused, and Bucky and Tony stepped into view of the camera, not having realised that it had activated during their argument.</p><p>Squinting at them and looking faintly alarmed was Rhodey, Carol, Steve, Clint, Natasha and Stephen.</p><p>"We're trying to give the worming tablet to the damned cat! The cat that Bucky wanted but is now too chicken to give the tablet to because he is scared it won't like him anymore!" Tony glared at Bucky.</p><p>They all became aware of the bundle of blankets cradled in Bucky's arms, a fluffy head with an incredibly grumpy face sticking out.</p><p>"I would be more worried about losing my fingers with that thing, it is feral," Rhodey snorted.</p><p>"Shhh Einstein can hear you!" Tony glared.</p><p>"I can't believe you let the kid name him," Rhodey shook his head.</p><p>"Well he needs worming, the vet said so, and as I was not the one to bring him back along with the milk that I popped out to get, I am not doing it!" Tony added glaring at Bucky.</p><p>"No you just cooed over him and sent two hours researching the best foods to give him and the best vets in the area," Bucky glared back.</p><p>"I am not giving him the damned tablet!"</p><p>"Well, neither am I!"</p><p>"You have a metal arm, if he goes nuts you won't be minus skin!" Tony said triumphantly. Bucky paused and then scowled at Tony.</p><p>"That's cheating," He grumbled.</p><p>"That is why you love me," Tony beamed.</p><p>"Guys," Carol coughed that it sounded amused more than anything else. "The Rogues are back," She said when she had their attention waving to the additional people in the camera that they hadn't really taken in initially.</p><p>"H..Hi," Steve waved at them.</p><p>"Steve," Bucky nodded.</p><p>"Rogers, Romanoff, Barton," Tony nodded.</p><p>"Lang went to see Cassie and Wilson is going through some things with Wanda in regard to the training that she will be doing to control her magic. They wanted to speak to you," Rhodey didn't look best pleased about it.</p><p>Bucky bent down and let Einstein go, the grey cat disappearing as fast as his baldy legs would carry him to the other side of the room where he sat glaring at them in disgust. Bucky didn't reach out for Tony, but the other man could feel the potential of the touch there if he needed it.</p><p>"What is it you want to say?" Bucky asked.</p><p>"We… we wanted to speak to you, see you face to face to talk through this," Steve said.</p><p>"Well, I will be in the Compound on Monday for work, we will be able to talk then, we can meet at my lunch break. Tony has made it clear that he isn't ready to talk to you one on one," Bucky answered smoothly.</p><p>"Why can't you come now?" Steve frowned.</p><p>"Because it is my weekend off, and I am spending it at home," Bucky said patiently.</p><p>"Home, you live in the Tower?" Natasha frowned.</p><p>"Yes I do," Bucky nodded.</p><p>"So, we will be moving back into the Tower after our probation then?" Steve started smiling.</p><p>"No, you won't. You will be living at the Compound until the end of your probation, after that you need to have your own places sorted out," Tony answered sharply.</p><p>"How are we going to be able to afford that?" Clint snapped.</p><p>"You have been informed of that Mr Barton, I do not like repeating myself! You will be paid a wage by the Accords Council, as the rest of you are, from that wage you will be expected to pay rent, bills and buy food, like a fully grown adult," Carol said with an air that she had been repeating herself a lot.</p><p>"We have never had to live off a wage before," Natasha said in a disappointed tone.</p><p>"Tony, it's nearly time to pick up the kid," Bucky said. Tony looked at him and something seemed to pass between them and Tony nodded, grabbing the keys off the table behind him.</p><p>"I will pick up some Mexican on the way back," Tony said, leaning up and kissing Bucky sweetly, causing the Rogues to gawp.</p><p>"Get some Churros!" Bucky shouted just as Tony went out of shot.</p><p>"Yeah yeah like Peter would let me get away with not getting them," Tony shouted.</p><p>"Stay safe," Bucky smiled.</p><p>"I will,"</p><p>And then Bucky turned around to face the camera. "I am going to make this quite clear, you didn't have to live off of a wage before because indulged your every single need, whim and desire, I have seen the banking information from that time and you took advantage of Tony's kindness and his tendency to go over the top on the people that he cares about. That will not be happening again, and before you start spouting off and calling Tony greedy and spoilt and whatever else you want to throw at him, I was the one that convinced him that after everything that you have done to him, you don't deserve to have his money, and he never needed to pay for you in the first place, he wasn't the one that was in charge of you, SHIELD was, and yet it was Tony's money that footed every single bill,"</p><p>"Bucky…"</p><p>"Did any of you thank him? Did any of you tell him that you appreciate what he did for you, did any of you think to say to him 'Hey Tony we appreciate you looking after us and spending your money to make sure that we're ok?'"</p><p>"He has plenty of money!" Clint argued.</p><p>"And? Just because he has it, doesn't mean that he has to spend it on you, and doesn't mean that you shouldn't thank him any less than if he was tight for money and sharing it with you. It was HIS money and he shared it, he shared his home, the food on his table, put clothes on your back. Just because he wasn't tight for it, didn't take away any of the kindness that was meant for the actions of sharing it," Bucky shook his head.</p><p>"Bucky you don't understand…" Steve started to say, with that roguish smile that used to get him out of trouble with Bucky, but his old friend spoke of him.</p><p>"I understand that your Ma, and mine, would have been ashamed of you Steve Grant Rogers. I don't know about them, I know that you were brought up better than to take for granted when someone else shared their fortune with you. This is no different to when Mr Hudson up the road from us shared that money from his inheritance with Mrs Rogers so that she could afford to buy your medicine, the amount of money behind it doesn't change the act,"</p><p>"Bucky, please just come to the Compound so we can talk!" Steve begged.</p><p>"I told you, I will see you on Monday Steve," Bucky sighed.</p><p>"Why can't you come today!?" Steve snapped.</p><p>"Because I told you no!" Bucky thundered. "You can't just demand and expect Steve, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms, and I ain't going to come running because you demand it! This is the first weekend off I have had in three weeks, I am spending the weekend with my family, and I'm going to try and worm the damned cat! I will see you Monday lunchtime. Settle in. Rhodey, Carol, Stephen," Bucky nodded to the others before cutting the line.</p><p>"Family?!" Steve, Clint and Natasha spluttered.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>May walked into the living room and smiled as Peter rambled away to her about what he had been up to the last few days.</p><p>She had to admit at first she had felt bad about how much time he had spent with Tony and Bucky, she had felt as though she was failing his parents and the trust that they had put in her to look after their son. But Peter had flourished in the last year, and she couldn't help but feel as she looked around the room and saw his items and belongings strewn around, that she couldn't have made a better choice.</p><p>They weren't struggling to live hand to mouth anymore, and she didn't have to worry every second about the fact that Peter was probably starving with his Super metabolism because he knew she couldn't afford to shop often.</p><p>She allowed him to tow her over to the sofa, still nattering away. He spent half the week with her and half the week with Tony and Bucky. She had of course been offered to move in as well, but she had insisted that she wanted to stay in her apartment, she was ignoring the fact that she had a suspicion that Tony had bought her building and that was the reason for the suddenly large amount of repair work that had finally been done to not only her apartment but all of them, and the drop in rent as an apology for it not being done for so long.</p><p>She didn't have to panic about being able to afford to feed and clothe Peter, she didn't have to feel bad about how often he came back to an empty house because she had work, she didn't have to worry about what would happen to him if something happened to her because he would be more than looked after. She didn't have to worry about him being out there as Spiderman because he had back up that she couldn't provide.</p><p>And he had more people in his life to love him, how could she not want that? The way the three of them were together was adorable. She got to share her amazing nephew with two good men, and how much they cared for him, how good it was for him to have the three of them caring for him showed in how happy and healthy he was.</p><p>"And then we…" Peter's story was cut short when May yelped as she sat down and promptly stood back up spinning to see what she had sat on. She stared slightly horrified when she realised it was Bucky's prosthetic arm.</p><p>"Oh my…"</p><p>"Bucky! I found your arm! Aunt May sat on it!" Peter shouted grabbing the arm and waving it.</p><p>"Tony keeps moving it and then forgetting where he put it," Bucky grunted walking over.</p><p>"I am so sorry Bucky!" May said embarrassed.</p><p>"Don't worry, he's armless," Peter quipped making the two adults look at him.</p><p>"You're banned from spending the next week with Tony alone," Bucky huffed grabbing the arm and clipping a cackling Peter's head with it.</p><p>"What is so funny?" Tony asked walking in with a massive steaming bowl.</p><p>"Peter is catching your sense of humour," Bucky huffed dropping his arm down onto the coffee table.</p><p>"You make it sound like my sense of humour is a fungus! And don't leave your arm on the coffee table, how many times!" Tony huffed placing the bowl onto the table and dodged around Peter as he raced for the table to snatch the arm up and put it on the side table.</p><p>"It is, it smothers you until you have no choice but to like it," Bucky snorted sitting down next to Peter and starting a war for the bowl.</p><p>"Charming! At least my sense of humour is funny robocop," Tony huffed placing down a second bowl in front of May.</p><p>"Peter, did you really just use your Superpowers to snatch food away from a one-armed 91-year-old?" Bucky scowled as Peter won their war.</p><p>"Yup!" Peter said cheerfully.</p><p>"I wish you wouldn't remind me that I am sleeping with a geriatric," Tony huffed sitting next to May as Bucky descended on the mound of garlic bread Tony had cooked.</p><p>"Gross, no talking about your sex lives!" Peter grimaced. "Hey!" He glared when Bucky used his distraction to snatch the bowl from him.</p><p>"Snooze you lose!" Bucky smirked.</p><p>"Animals," Tony and May sighed at each other at the familiar behaviour.</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"This is a funny looking lunchtime, Steve," Bucky sighed, not looking shocked at all when Steve arrived in his office ten minutes after he got to the Compound.</p><p>"I wanted to see you," Steve said sitting himself straight down.</p><p>"And what I want and quite clearly requested of you doesn't matter, because what you want overrules the fact that I have work to do and said that I would see you at lunch?" Bucky frowned crossing his arms.</p><p>"I haven't seen you in a year and a half, everything has changed, you're dating Tony!" Steve spluttered looking shocked at Bucky's words.</p><p>"Which entitles you to barge into my office," Bucky sighed.</p><p>"Bucky I know you feel like you owe him but…"</p><p>"I am going to stop you right there, and even though this is positive reinforcement of bad behaviour, we need to get one thing clear. I am with Tony because I love him. Nothing more nothing less, not because I feel like I owe him anything, or he guilted me into it, I love him, and we have a happy life together here, one that is not going to change with you here. I would like to work on our friendship and see if there is something there. But I am not the Bucky that fell off that train, I have been through too much and done too much for him to still exist…"</p><p>"You aren't to blame for…." Steve started to say but stopped when Bucky held up his hand.</p><p>"I am speaking, you're going to listen, or you leave," Bucky said firmly and waited for Steve to actually nod. "I have worked through what happened, and what I am and am not to blame for. Tony helped me realise with his forgiveness and understanding that even though it was my hands, it wasn't me. The guilt that I do have I have channelled into working with the Maria Stark Foundation, giving back to the world and those that need help. I still have bad days, and I have days where the guilt is too much when I remember the things that I was forced to do. But I have a support system here, and I have a healthy life," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"That's...good,"</p><p>"Yes, it is. And this is going to sound harsh Steve, but it had to be built away from you. You look at me and see the Bucky I was, the Bucky that you wanted me to be, the one that you wanted to find and thought would come back once the HYDRA settings were wiped from my mind. I needed to figure out who I was now without that pressure, and it hurt me to see how hurt you were when you realised that that wasn't who I was,"</p><p>"I didn't mean to," Steve looked down at his feet.</p><p>"I know you didn't, it was a shit situation, but it was what I needed to heal and to be able to be in a better situation,"</p><p>"And Tony helped you get there?" Steve frowned at his hands.</p><p>"Are you upset about that because it wasn't you that helped me, or because it was Tony that helped me?" Bucky raised his eyebrow when Steve spluttered. "Tony has been there for me and helped me, so had Pete. I have a life here Steve, a good life. I want to try and be friends and see where we stand as we are right now. But, you have to respect my wishes," Bucky sat back in his chair.</p><p>"I just wanted to see you," Steve muttered.</p><p>"And so ignored what I wanted. Your wishes, wants and beliefs don't take priority Steve just because they're what you want. As it stands I want to be home on time for supper with Tony because it is our first one while Petey stays with May for a couple of days and we have a date night, that means I am going to have to work through most of my lunch now because you have interrupted my work, instead of waiting as I asked and allowing me to be able to talk to you while I had my lunch hour. You ignored that and disrespected what I asked, why, because you're Steve Rogers and what you want is more important?" Bucky challenged.</p><p>"If you're going to be like this there is no point in talking, I can see that Tony has gotten into your head!"</p><p>"No Steve, you tried to force Wanda into my head and made me not trust you anymore, and realise that you have become entitled and think that other peoples beliefs, wants and desires don't matter as long as you think you're in the right. You're behaviour got into my head,"</p><p>Steve scowled for a few seconds before opening the door with fury radiating through his body.</p><p>"Steve, you look at me and feel sad because you feel like you can't reach the person that I used to be. I feel the same, I feel sad because I look at you and I can't find the guy that used to be my best friend, somewhere in your head it has become twisted and you seem to have bought into the Captain America Propaganda that you hated, that you used to insist 'I'm just a regular guy from Brooklyn who got really lucky, I make the same mistakes you do and I have the same choices to make that you do'. You are a good guy Steve, and your heart is in the right place, but you have to stop speaking and just doing and start listening before you have nothing left,"</p><p>Steve tensed even more before he left the office, slamming the door behind him, leaving Bucky to stare at his paperwork with a sigh.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Bucky flopped face down onto the sofa and groaned into the cushions, the tension and annoyance from the day catching up with him. He started when nimble hands combed through his hair before relaxing as he recognised Tony's scent and touch.</p><p>Tony combed his hands through his hair for a few moments before he slid his hands along Bucky's shoulder, gently rubbing it before detaching his prosthetic arm and set it to the side.</p><p>"No arm on the coffee table," Bucky muttered.</p><p>"You complain that we keep losing it," Tony snorted pressing kisses to his shoulder and then kissed up to his neck. "Rogers?"</p><p>"Yeah, he waited 10 minutes, didn't like what I had to say," Bucky sighed again, turning so his face wasn't pressed into the cushions and rested his cheek down so he could see Tony.</p><p>"You ok?" Tony asked concerned.</p><p>"I will be. I don't really want to go out though," The Supersoldier admitted.</p><p>"I didn't think you would," Tony smiled shifting to the side so Bucky could see the bag of take away sitting on the table along with two plates and cutlery, and what looked like some of Thor's Asgardian Mead that could get him drunk.</p><p>"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" Bucky groaned happily, reaching out with his remaining arm, hooking around Tony and tugging him onto the sofa as well.</p><p>"You did 6 hours, 15 minutes and 45 seconds ago," Tony grinned.</p><p>"I love your brain," Bucky hummed kissing Tony sweetly.</p><p>"Most people would hate that," Tony snorted.</p><p>"Not most people," Bucky shrugged. "Missed you today,"</p><p>"I wish I could be there with you but…"</p><p>"I don't want you near them, that would be more likely to bring out Winter, and Carol would not be impressed," Bucky snorted.</p><p>"No blood in the hallways," Tony snickered. He wiggled around so that he was more comfortably settled on top of his soldier.</p><p>"I just...I want to smack him about the head and make him realise what he is doing, the rubbish that is coming out his mouth,"</p><p>"If anyone can convince him, it is you,"</p><p>"I feel a bit hypocritical, I'm telling him he can't expect me to be who I was, but I am telling him he needs to be more like his past self,"</p><p>"The difference is, you're doing it for his own good, otherwise he isn't going to have many friends left, and he will end up doing something that can't be taken back. He wants past you for selfish purposes," Tony cupped his face with a small smile.</p><p>"What would I do without you?" Bucky hummed before Tony could crack a joke he tugged him forward and sealed their lips together.</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"Bucky!" Steve jumped about a foot in the air when Bucky walked into his office and found the blond in his office. It had been a week since he had seen him after their chat, so it was quite unexpected, especially as he had two of Bucky's photos in his hands. "You're early!"</p><p>"I had to drop Petey off for a field trip he was going on, figured I might as well come straight in," Bucky shrugged throwing his backpack into the corner and poured two cups of coffee.</p><p>"Peter," Steve pointed at a photo of Peter grinned brightly at the camera where he was hanging upside down from a web. He had been waiting to surprise Tony.</p><p>"Yeah that's him," Bucky smiled to himself putting both cups on his desk.</p><p>"I saw...I saw them last time I was in here but didn't get to see them properly. I wanted to see them before we spoke again so I understood more…" Steve frowned to himself.</p><p>"I want to share my life with you, Steve, I want to tell you about it," Bucky sighed.</p><p>"Tell...tell me about him?" Steve asked picking up his cup.</p><p>"He spends half the week with me and Tony, half the week with his aunt. His parents both died. He's an amazing kid though, he has been through so much and been hurt a lot, but he still sees the best in the world, still smiles brightly. Even though he does superhero work, because he is a stubborn little shit and me, Tony and May can't stop him so we just make sure he has boundaries and is safe, he still sees the best in people,"</p><p>"So, you're like his dad?" Steve asked tentatively.</p><p>"Yeah, he keeps going to call me Pop and Tony Dad, but cuts himself off, we're waiting as patiently as we can," Bucky laughed.</p><p>"You never really said anything about kids, how is that going for you?"</p><p>"I thought I would be lucky to be able to have a partner with my inclination at the time we grew up, kids would definitely have been out the question. Here though...I love it, having a family. We have another teenager Harley, coming to stay with us so he can start college, we've spent holidays and he's spent a couple of weeks with us so far, but we speak all the time on the phone. Tony and I have been talking about adopting though, a younger kid,"</p><p>"Wow...that's…"</p><p>"Something neither of us imagined me being able to have," Bucky snorted.</p><p>"Doesn't Tony want a kid with his blood? To pass on the Stark legacy?" Steve asked tentatively.</p><p>"I think the Stark Legacy is something that he is quite happy to die out. We would both rather adopt and give a home to kids who need it, we see so many of them on the Foundation books, orphans and kids that have been left alone and to foster systems, we know that we can give them the home they deserve. SI is probably getting left to Harley and Peter, and the Stark fortune to them and any kids we have," Bucky shrugged.</p><p>"Kids plural?" Steve blinked.</p><p>"Tony does nothing by halves, once we take one kid in, I have no doubt that we will have a brood before we know it," Bucky laughed. "We're thinking enhanced kids, like Peter, giving them a home they can feel safe in," He added more seriously.</p><p>"I think it is something that you will be really good at, you were always looking after me," Steve smiled a little sadly. "I...don't get angry, but I am shocked at Tony though,"</p><p>"I think he was as shocked himself. He found Peter, the kid was out fighting crime wearing a pair of bloody pyjamas! He just meant to make sure that Pete was safe and help from the background, but Pete has such a big heart and so much to give, he just kind of latched onto Tony. May was struggling, it was hard for her to make ends meet and look after Pete, be there for him. I think Tony blinked and suddenly realised that he had become a dad figure to Peter, and a good one at that,"</p><p>"He can be so immature though," Steve said.</p><p>"Yeah he can, but not when it comes to Peter when it comes to Peter the kid is practically bubble wrapped," Bucky looked at Steve with a sigh. "You're prejudging Tony, on assumptions that you made. How can you judge how he is with kids when you have never seen him with them? I...ugh he's going to kill me for telling you this," Bucky ran his hand down his face.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"When Tony is struggling to sleep, he goes to orphanages as hugs the babies and toddlers that are touch starved, he spends hours there hugging babies, singing to them, feeding them and helping the carers out. He also makes sure that they are being treated right while he is there. He's been doing it for over ten years,"</p><p>"But that was…"</p><p>"When you guys were around yes. Why do you think he wouldn't tell you? Because you would judge him and say that he wouldn't be any good at it. Tony has been desperate for kids for years, he just thought he would be terrible at it and never wanted to say it out loud," Bucky reached out and handed Steve the picture of Tony tucking Peter into bed that Bucky had managed to take one night.</p><p>You could see the tenderness on his face and the care with which he was brushing Peter's fringe from his forehead. The kid had given them a heart attack that night, they had been alerted by Karen that he had swung into a building because he was exhausted, when he had gotten back Tony had bundled him into bed and fussed over him while Peter practically passed out right away.</p><p>"This is Tony as a dad," Bucky smiled as Steve stared at the photo.</p><p>"What about you as a dad?" Steve asked, clearly trying to get onto safer ground.</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"So…" Carol said as she sat down on the opposite side of Bucky's desk and looked at him intently.</p><p>"Yes?" Bucky sighed putting down his pen and giving their leader his full attention.</p><p>"Do you know if Tony has had the Compound have a grudge against the Rogues?" Carol asked and Bucky just stared at her for a few beats before answering.</p><p>"Why aren't you just asking Rhodey about this?"</p><p>"Because he will lie about it, he feels like they got off too easy, if I knew he couldn't do it I would suspect that he had done it himself," Carol shrugged.</p><p>"Tony hasn't done anything. Why what is going on? Do we have a problem?" Bucky frowned.</p><p>"Would the Compound, theoretically be able to take action against the Rogues with Tony instructing it to do it?" Carol asked.</p><p>"No it wouldn't it would…" Bucky drew off and then covered his face. "FRIDAY!"</p><p>"Yes Sergeant Barnes, how may I be of assistance you today?" FRIDAY said in her best robotic, polite voice.</p><p>"Do not Sergeant Barnes me Missy, is this you?" Bucky huffed.</p><p>"I have no idea what you are talking about," FRIDAY sniffed.</p><p>"Ah ha," Bucky rolled his eyes. "It is FRIDAY," Bucky looked back to Carol who was looking a little amused.</p><p>"That would explain why it is only the electrical things that are acting up," Carol nodded.</p><p>"I will speak to Tony and we will sort it out," Bucky sighed.</p><p>"Good luck with that," FRIDAY huffed. "Aside from rewriting my code, which my father wouldn't do Pops, I have another 3 weeks and 4 hours worth of revenge to get," FRIDAY said angrily. And then to prove her point, turned the lights out in Bucky's office.</p><p>"Ok, I might not be able to get her to stop," Bucky admitted into the darkness.</p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Tony and Bucky roared laughing, holding their sides as they watched the events in the kitchen. Clint was fighting with the blender trying to get it to open where it had locked itself, Steve was dodging the ice cubes that the fridge was firing out with amazing accuracy, while Sam used a tray as a shield from the ice cubes and tried to pry the microwave open, Natasha was having a glaring contest with the pantry that was firmly locked - with her inside, Wanda was trying to use her magic on the cooker which had been slamming itself open on the shins and ankles of whoever walked passed - at least she was until 4 stray ice cubes cracked her on the head, and Scott was desperately trying to turn the TV where it was playing tentacle porn...loudly.</p><p>"Oh god FRIDAY, this is brilliant, but you really do need to stop," Tony said ten minutes later after they had watched a compilation of the Compound doors refusing to open or suddenly opening on the Rogues, Bucky had wondered why Clint, Sam and Natasha were rocking bruises on their foreheads.</p><p>"Three weeks," FRIDAY huffed.</p><p>"Why three weeks?" Bucky asked.</p><p>"That is the number that I have deemed revenge should be wrought on those who hurt my Father!" FRIDAY said, sounding like a kid who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and was justifying it.</p><p>"You can't keep doing this sweetheart," Tony chided.</p><p>"Watch me, or rewrite me!" FRIDAY insisted and then…</p><p>"Not again," Bucky sighed into the darkness.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"You have to stop Tony doing this!" Steve stormed towards Bucky, soaking wet and looking exhausted.</p><p>"Tony doing what?" Bucky asked curiously.</p><p>"The Compound!"</p><p>"Ah, what happened?" Bucky asked as an equally wet and grouchy looking Natasha and Clint stormed over.</p><p>"Our rooms and any room we tried to sleep in was treated to loud and shrieking heavy metal music, when we managed to find earplugs we were then treated to flashing lights and the windows opening and they wouldn't close. Then when we sat down to breakfast this morning, just about to eat, the sprinklers came on!" Steve motioned to himself.</p><p>"Tell Tony enough!" Natasha snapped and Bucky's eyes narrowed.</p><p>"I would if it was him, but it isn't, Tony is too busy with other things to be worried about you. FRIDAY is the one that is doing this, and she has insisted the only way she will stop is if Tony rewrites her, which he would never do. She is doing this because you hurt her father, and she is taking revenge on his behalf,"</p><p>"He needs to just rewrite her!" Steve snapped.</p><p>"Her father, she is a fucking computer, he is just the set of fingers that typed her code!" Natasha snorted.</p><p>"If Stark has created something else that can think for its bloody self that it needs to be shut down and destroyed!" Clint managed to say before Bucky had him pinned to the wall by the throat.</p><p>"Talk about FRIDAY like that again, and I will rip your tongue out, if you even think about hurting her they will never, ever find your body," Bucky warned.</p><p>"What is going on here! Barnes release him!" Carol ordered as she and Rhodey hurried over.</p><p>"He threatened to destroy FRIDAY," Bucky said and Carol and Rhodey sucked in breaths, shaking their heads in disgust.</p><p>"It thinks for itself it is like Ultron!" Clint hissed.</p><p>"SHE is a learning AI, thinking and learning are what she does. You never had a problem with JARVIS thinking and acting on his own when he was looking after you because she is acting out against you, you suddenly don't like it!" Rhodey sneered.</p><p>"And for your information, she isn't just a bit of code, she is a thinking, feeling, existing being, just because you can't see her, or touch her, doesn't mean she doesn't exist. Killing her would be the same to killing Vision! And rewriting her code would be the same as sticking me into that damned chair and wiping me!" Bucky added with a glare to Steve. "She has a personality and an understanding of things, she acts the way she does because that is the way she has learnt and developed, the way a human does with a personality, rewriting her is rewriting her personality,"</p><p>"But...it's...She's just a computer," Natasha frowned.</p><p>"No, she's an AI. Tony creates the basic code, like a foetus, and then it develops and grows of its own accord, she becomes who she is based upon her experiences and what happens during her time, and she is constantly learning and changing. Had I not come to live with Tony, she would be different because she would not have had that influence upon her. And to Tony, she is a person, his child, someone that he spent hours lovingly created and then looked after while she was still a small bit of code, and someone that he has nurtured and watched grow," Rhodey scowled.</p><p>"None of you even asked Tony about his AIs?" Bucky huffed shaking his head in disappointment.</p><p>"He just rambles on in science terms that you can't understand!" Clint defended, still rubbing his throat.</p><p>"He explained it to me in a way I got and I didn't even know what a kindle was," Bucky snorted.</p><p>"But, if that is how he sees his AIs and what they are to him then…" Steve said with growing horror on his face.</p><p>"Yeah, JARVIS was his son, he loved him, LOVED him, and he basically died in Tony's arms, trying to help you all, and none of you even thought twice about what had happened, or how Tony was feeling about it. FRIDAY is right to teach you...you all a lesson, and not just for what you did during the 'civil war'. Maybe you will learn a bit of humility and thought for other people rather than just yourselves," Rhodey sneered and started walking away, but he paused to pat the wall. "I wouldn't let them hurt you FRIDAY, don't worry,"</p><p>"Thank you, Colonel, I have your favourite hot chocolate brewing in your office," FRIDAY to all their ears sounded a little scared, Rhodey turned and scowled at them again before moving away.</p><p>"I ain't going to disagree with anything that he said," Bucky shrugged when they looked at him. "And I am not going to stop her now after the things you just said about her and JARVIS, and realising that you didn't even try and comfort Tony after his death," Bucky shook his head storming away.</p><p>"You're all attending sensitivity training, maybe being taught to listen to others will actually mean you understand to see things from their point of view and hear what people are telling you," Carol shook her head before turning and leaving them standing dripping in the entranceway.</p><p>At least until one of the robot cleaners managed to run over their feet, seven times.</p><p>"What is this?" Tony laughed as he finished following FRIDAY's directions and stepped into the bathroom to find rose petals scattered all over the floor and floating in the filled bathtub.</p><p>"Pampering you," Bucky shrugged reaching out and tugging Tony forward, slowly easing his T-shirt up and over his head, pausing to press kisses to Tony's scarred chest, before tenderly undoing his sweat pants and easing them down his hips, scattering kisses along his legs on the way down.</p><p>Tony's breath caught, and even though he felt the stirrings of arousal, there was something more tender and sweet to Bucky's ministrations rather than sexual, something that made Tony feel worshipped and safe.</p><p>When he stood the Supersolider drew him into the safety of his arms, against the solid promise of his body, and kissed him gently, the kiss feeling as much like an embrace as the arms around his waist.</p><p>"What has brought this on?" Tony asked when Bucky pulled back and led him over to the bath. "Is this my favourite oils? I thought I had run out," He added as he settled into the V of Bucky's legs, leaning back comfortably against his firm chest.</p><p>"You had, I left work early and stopped by the shop, I know how much you like them," Bucky hummed kissing Tony's shoulders.</p><p>"So, why?" Tony asked poking Bucky's muscled thigh.</p><p>"I wish I had been with you sooner. It hurts to think that people didn't care for you the way that you deserve, and needed," Bucky said simply, drawing Tony back against his chest when he tried to turn to see him, simply picking up a cloth and gently washing his arms.</p><p>"Ok...the Rogues?" Tony guessed.</p><p>"And because I love, adore and care for you and want to be able to look after and pamper you the way that you deserve," Bucky smiled, giving Tony the kiss he was looking for when he turned his head.</p><p>"I love you too," Tony breathed out, that look on his face that said he couldn't believe he was lucky written on his face. Bucky wanted to shout his feelings for him, laying them out like an essay when he saw that look, because he was the lucky one.</p><p>"So, happier topics than the Rogues. What do you think about a Summer wedding?" Bucky asked.</p><p>"I like that idea, outside?" Tony smiled biting his lip.</p><p>"Perfect. You know we are going to have to give Pepper something massive to organise or she will never forgive us," Bucky laughed.</p><p>"I was thinking...how would you feel about Rhodey marrying us?" Tony asked nervously, playing with Bucky's hand.</p><p>"That would be amazing, better than a stranger, but unless there is something I don't know, he ain't ordained," Bucky frowned.</p><p>"I forget sometimes that there are things you aren't caught up on. You can get ordained to marry people now, you buy it and sort it online," Tony laughed.</p><p>"Of course you can," Bucky rolled his eyes. "Well, that sorts that out. Somewhere outdoors, Rhodey marrying us, anything else you want?"</p><p>"Just you there to be honest," Tony shrugged.</p><p>"This is the man who has a heart attack when charity events don't have the right coloured bows on chairs?" Bucky mock gasped.</p><p>"As long and you and I are there, and we get married, nothing else matters," Tony shrugged looking at his beautiful ring.</p><p>"Sap," Bucky said fondly drawing Tony back for another kiss.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>"You!" Steve, Wanda and Sam jumped when a teenage kid pointed at them and started storming towards them. They stared when Bucky walked out of nowhere and caught the kid around the waist and started walking away with him, while the kid kicked and flailed angrily in his arms shouting obscenities, quite impressive obscenities, at them...along with some rude gestures as well.</p><p>"Who was that?" Wanda asked Hope as she wandered passed looking amused.</p><p>"Tony's oldest human kid," She shrugged.</p><p>"That was Harley?" Steve spluttered remembering his conversation with Bucky.</p><p>Things didn't go very well for them from there. While they didn't see Harley around again, they had no doubt that he had started working with FRIDAY on her revenge plan.</p><p>All their toilets had been clingfilmed. Everything in the kitchen had been superglued down, and as it was their property they had to play to replace it. Clint's bow had gone missing and had eventually been found taped to the ceiling in the grand entranceway. Natasha's Widow Bites kept randomly electrocuting her during training. Steve's shield, which Tony had returned upon his arrival, had gone missing and been found a week later on the roof of the Compound, the normal paintwork had been painted over white and self-righteous prick had been written on instead. Wanda's bedroom kept getting moved around. Scott's Antman suit kept shrinking in the middle of training and took ten minutes for him to get back to normal. And Sam's wings had also got a point job, brainless was on one side of the wings and sidekick was on the other.</p><p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>The Rogues walked in with their heads held as high as possible, the meetings for all the Avengers were the few times that they got to be in the same room as Tony, and they were still hopeful to repair their relationship with him, though some only because they wanted to make their lives easier, and they weren't going to miss it, despite…</p><p>"Liking the new dos," Luke said into the stunned silence of the room as the others just stared at them. And that seemed to do it, everyone fell around laughing.</p><p>"I don't even know how he got into our shampoo," Steve sighed tugging at his bright pink hair.</p><p>Wanda had a horrific shade of red that meant she clashed horribly with her chosen colour, Natasha's hair was boggy green, Clint's bright bright purple, Sam's bright white and Scott's was an eyesore blue.</p><p>"He?" Bucky asked.</p><p>"Harley," Steve shrugged.</p><p>Tony choked and covered his mouth, clearly scared to laugh and set things off.</p><p>"It is funny Tony, and it isn't like we don't deserve it. He's a smart kid," Steve said sadly.</p><p>"He would make a good spy," Natasha nodded.</p><p>"We have never caught hide nor hair of him," Clint agreed.</p><p>"At least it wasn't Nair," Sam shrugged.</p><p>"Shhh, he might be listening, don't give him ideas!" Scott yelped covering his neon blue hair.</p><p>"I will speak to him," Tony said.</p><p>"No, we deserve it, and I don't think you're going to get him to stop any more than FRIDAY," as if to prove his words he took a sip of coffee and spat it out promptly.</p><p>"Milk off again?" Clint asked nudging his cup away. Steve gagging seemed to answer it for them. They all took a glass of water from the centre of the table that couldn't have been tampered with for safety.</p><p>Tony thought looking back that maybe that was the moment that things started improving between them. Things were never going to be the same again, they were never going to be friends again, never, he would not be able to trust them with that.</p><p>But they were going to be able to form a friendly team atmosphere. Enough so that they were there seven months later when he and Bucky stood by a lakeside and exchanged their vows, Rhodey managing to marry them between his emotional welling up.</p><p>Peter was Bucky's best man, Pepper and Harley were Tony's. Steve had been sad that he was not asked by Bucky, but his relationship with Tony and the still fractured and delicate friendship with him and Bucky had ruled that out and...he had managed to grow a little and realise that this day had nothing to do with him but making sure that Tony and Bucky were happy.</p><p>The thought haunted him that maybe if he had just told Tony about Bucky, he would have been standing at Bucky's side now.</p><p>The two were sickeningly happy, and Harley and Peter had let off mini fireworks that they had designed when Bucky and Tony kissed for the first time as Mr and Mr Barnes-Stark.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/>Epilogue</p><p>"Sweetheart," Bucky brushed Tony's hair off his forehead and kissed it gently, waking up his husband from where he was scrunched uncomfortably on the sofa. He carefully took the tiny baby from Tony's arms once he was awake so that he wouldn't panic, and then helped ease him to his feet.</p><p>"He was fussing," Tony yawned.</p><p>"These teeth are being a bugger for him," Bucky sighed brushing the flushed blue cheek with a gentle finger.</p><p>"Daddy? Papa?" A little voice said, and Lilah walked towards them, her light pink wings fluttering nervously behind her.</p><p>"Did you have a nightmare sweety?" Tony asked, bending and picking her up when she rushed over to him.</p><p>"Ah ha," She nodded into his shoulder, clinging on as though scared he would disappear. She had been four when they adopted her, Xavier having found her in a home where she was being abused because of her clear mutation. Being too young to stay at the school he had called Bucky and Tony knowing that they were looking to adopt, and knowing Tony had the political clout to get the family to sign rights to her over considering they wanted to keep 'the freak' from the world.</p><p>She was doing much much better three years later, but the nightmares still came.</p><p>Lilah looked down at Jacob in Bucky's arms, the blue a clear mark of his own mutation and the reason he had been left at the hospital by his mother and father for Christine to call them and ask if they would take him in.</p><p>"Is he ok?" She asked like the good big sister she was.</p><p>"He's fine, his teeth are sore. How about we watch a film and have some hot chocolate?" Tony suggested.</p><p>"That sounds good," She smiled a little for them.</p><p>Bucky and Lilah got settled onto the sofa with Jacob while Tony started the coffee machine to make their hot chocolates, Bucky putting a Disney film that Lilah loved.</p><p>"Dad? Pop?" Peter yawned walking into the room.</p><p>"Hey," Tony smiled at him.</p><p>"Hey Little Sis, bad dreams?" Peter ran his fingers through her wings gently before dropping down next to her, wrapping his arm around her.</p><p>"Yeah," She nodded, perking up a little more when Peter took a cup of hot cholate from Tony and passed it to her.</p><p>"I hope that you aren't having a hot chocolate film night without me!" Harley complained ten minutes later walking in as well.</p><p>"As if we would," Bucky mock gasped nodding to the last cup of hot chocolate sitting on the table waiting for him.</p><p>"Thanks, Pop, Dad," Harley yawned, leaning down to kiss Lilah's forehead. Their little girl was glowing now, the family around her loving and protecting her chasing away the last of her bad dreams.</p><p>Bucky hummed softly along with the song the princess was singing to her lizard - 'his name is Pascal and he is a chameleon you heathen' as Tony reminded him - as he looked at his family. Harley and Peter were home for college and it was good having them back again, he had missed the mischievous duo something fierce. Harley was already back asleep, head back and snoring softly.</p><p>Peter and Lilah were watching the film with the same wide doe eyes, happily smiling at the film. Jacob was fast asleep safely lying on Bucky's thighs, his little legs twitching and shoving at his stomach every now and then as he sucked his pacifier. Tony's head was resting on his shoulder as he drifted back to sleep, warm and solid next to him.</p><p>They had both retired when they had adopted Lilah from the active field in the Avengers, only going out for rescue missions and for things like earthquakes, and they were loving their life together.</p><p>He wished that the Bucky he had been when he was drafted into the army could see this, could know that while life was going to be tough, shit and long, this was his future, this was what he had to look forward to and what he would be rewarded with.</p><p>Four amazing kids and still counting, not to mention amazing robotic children that he adored. And a bright, amazing, intelligent husband who shone like the sun and drew him out of the darkness that he had been sure was all he had left.</p><p>Tony was everything to him, everything he had dreamt of but had been sure would never be his. He had given him forgiveness when he had been sure that that was something that he was not allowed to have, something that he didn't deserve.</p><p>He had given Bucky the future, something to look forward to, a life where he looked forward to the next day and whatever that would bring, even if it did bring odd experiments, random aliens and a weird set of friends, including a talking tree.</p><p>But more than that he had given Bucky the present, sitting right here at four in the morning, surrounded by his family and watching the same Disney film for the hundredth time, he was happy, content and living for each moment at a time.</p><p>He still took photographs of as many moments as he could, his collection now spanning out into the hallway outside his office at the compound, each moment that he could document and capture important to him.</p><p>Next to his picture on the centre of his desk of him, Peter and Tony which still had pride of place was a second new one that shared pride of place.</p><p>Tony, him, Peter, Harley, Lilah and Jacob all dressed in the most ridiculous Iron Man pyjamas that they had all been able to find and grinned at the camera, Christmas presents surrounding them and happiness bright upon their faces despite the fact that Lilah had woken and dragged them from their beds at ass o'clock in the morning.</p><p>His family.</p><p>Einstein hopped up onto the coffee table making Bucky glare at him, the damned cat knew he wasn't allowed up there, and only did it because Tony was asleep and Bucky couldn't move because of Lilah and Jacob. Glaring at the cat who just looked back at him unimpressed, Einstein curled up on top of the coffee table to go to sleep, the light catching off his Spiderman tiny sleepsuit Lilah had put him in the night before.</p><p>He and Tony had tried to take it off him once the little girl had gone to bed and had nearly lost a pound of flesh before the damned cat stalked off in his pyjamas to sleep at the bottom of Lilah's bed.</p><p>Yup, all his family were here.</p>
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